Evening star., 1949-02-22
This and That
Bu Charles E. Trdce1UeH
BETHESDA.

Dear Sir:
What should feed baby mantes-1 be-
lieve that is the correct plural?
II incautiously brought in an egg case. in
the fall, and now it has opened, and about
48 baby nantes are preying on each other.
II thought only the females ate the males.
but all of these seem to be devouring each
other ut lively rate, and can't blame
them, for so far have fed them nothing.
II tried, at least, with bread soaked In
milk. but the things would not touch 1t.
Should try to segregate them, or let
nature take its course?
"Frantically yours, M. J. H."
Feeding these little creatures is not easy.
The best one can do is offer them multi
vitamin capsules and liver.
Cut open a capsule. and take out the jelly.
II given on the end of toothpick. with
motion accompanying. they may eat.
Bits of liver, too. may be offered in the
same way.
A sort of habitat group should be built
for them
This might be an old aquarium. 1t is
fllled with earth, about 4 inches and on this
q sprinkling Of white sand. If possible.
Then some branches Of shrubs are
planted" 80 that the nantes correct
pluraD will feel at home.
Normally the egg cases are placed on
shrubs, usually or feet from the ground.
Here, in the first breath Of true spring. the
baby nantes hatch out. and find lively new
insects just Matched out, too.
So nature provides the correct setting as
worked out over the centuries.
Mans best efforts may not prove too sue
cessful, but at least the attempt can be
made.
The food may be left at intervals in the
cage, placed on branches.
1t will be realized that only separation,
complete, will save one mantis from attack
ing another.
But food, if they can be induced to eat
it, will cut down on this cannibal tendency.
The aquarium may have q screen over II,
or a glass lid.
It is impossible to make lid At alright.
so no one should worry about the queer
insects.
And queer they are although they are
often mistaken in summer for big grass
hoppers."
A good look will show them no grass
hoppers.
They carry the front legs with the paws
folded together as if in prayer. hence their
common name, the praying mantis.
The prayer is only in attitude. Actually
they are grim, forbidding things, the least
likely of all insects to pray" in any sense.
Even for food they offer no prayers. They
just take wife, son or q daughter for
dinner, if necessary.
The praying mantis, if magniied to q
very large degree, would be a monster to
frighten the strongest man.
Probably some horror writer" will do o
story some day on "Mantis Island" where
giant praying nantes take over control.
Surely that would provide terror enough
for any addict.
At the size they really are, the nantes
offer nothing hostile to man, just to other
insects.
They are in fact. quite clean looking
While they are not chameleons. and cannot
change color to their backgrounds. they
blend very well with branches and leaves,
being both bronze and green.
He or she who attempts to bring them
up in the house should be prepared for
many losses, and by the end of the expert
ment will be very glad for them. in all prob
ability The mantis is an outdoor creature,
and does best there. 1t is not desirable as
pet" except in a very limited way The
trouble is that often people take the egg
cases indoors without knowing what they
are. Well, they are fortunate II they get
nantes, not waspsl