The mystery is solved - praying mantis egg sac
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381741)
Rockingham, Australia
April 8, 2020 11:04pm CST
I've found out what the 'thing' was that was stuck to our verandah.
Vince put up some of his insect photos on his FB site and someone has said it is the egg sac of a praying mantis.
There are thousands of species of in the order ‘Mantodea’. They have triangular heads and bulging eyes. Some have wings but not all and they have flexible necks. The enlarged forelegs are adapted for catching and gripping prey. They often remain upright with the forearms folded. This posture has led to their common name of ‘praying mantis’.
They normally live about a year. In cooler climates, which I guess is ours, the adults lay eggs in the autumn which hatch out in the spring. Females sometimes eat their mates after mating.
So I guess I’ll have quite a long wait if the eggs don’t hatch till spring.
20 people like this
18 responses
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Apr 20
Haha, I like that! And I agree with you!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381741)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Apr 20
@moffittjc @WorDazza Proper hemisphere? What are you talking about? Here is how the world really looks. You are all very much beneath me. I look down on you all. 
2 people like this
i love your answers here on mylot. it always makes me smile. witty remarks.
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
9 Apr 20
How interesting. Thankfully you have not adopted the habits of the praying mantis!
3 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
9 Apr 20
It seems to be in a bad place to take that long to hatch
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
10 Apr 20
@JudyEv ah then maybe you will get to see it hatch
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381741)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Apr 20
@Jessicalynnt I hope so. I'd love to see mini mantises coming out.
1 person likes this
@Janet357 (75638)
•
10 Apr 20
@JudyEv hahah yes. it reminds me of an unsolved murder in the usa because the only evidence they had was this handwriting of someone, friends and relatives of the victim did not know of, and so the authorities posted it on billboard, a few days later a good lead came and the culprit was apprehended. so, just post it on social media hahaha
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Apr 20
Judy, will you bow down and pray with me? Wait....you didn't eat Vince did you?
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222222)
• United States
9 Apr 20
It's very rare for us to see a praying mantis these days.
1 person likes this
@amitkokiladitya (171988)
• Agra, India
9 Apr 20
Thanks for the information as well as the pic
1 person likes this
@Butterfingers (66603)
• India
10 Apr 20
It looks like a complete mystery but I heard some species do eat their own eggs also
1 person likes this
@caopaopao (12395)
• China
9 Apr 20
This is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine. I remember when my daughter was a kid, she used to wet the bed, and this is what the doctor prescribed, you boil it with water, and then I let her drink the water, and it worked.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (135583)
• Marion, Ohio
9 Apr 20
That is a good bug to have around.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
9 Apr 20
An odd fact is that a praying mantis can take down a hummingbird.
1 person likes this
