My Praying Mantis

By Zachary Simpson, 5th Grade

October 14, 2007

            One morning I was going out to take care of my chickens and when I was getting my bike out to ride to the barn, I looked up on our garage wall and saw a huge praying mantis! I ran back inside to get my net and when I caught her I put her in a jar. I showed the praying mantis to Mom and asked Mom if I could keep her. Mom hesitated but then said I could.

            I got out our Pets in a Jar book and found out how to properly take care of a praying mantis. I put her in a bigger jar while I was getting her aquarium ready. I washed out an old aquarium and put pebbles in the bottom. Then I added some dead leaves and some sticks for her to climb on. I put a screen lid on it.

            When I went back to get her out of her jar, I saw that she had started to lay her egg case! When we saw her making it we video taped it and took pictures. When she was done she was really hungry so I put her in her new home and gave her some crickets which she devoured. We feed her crickets every day and for water I wet a sponge and squeeze it over the inside of the aquarium so that she can drink the droplets. She’s very happy!

            It was really interesting to watch her egg case. She worked on it for a few hours. It was soft and white when she first made it; now it is hard and dark tan. We plan to securely tie the stick on to a branch of our bushes.