Praying Mantis are taking over my workplace

We've been seeing a LOT of Praying Mantis's around my work the later part of last week as well as today, I even saw one at a gas station over the weekend. I took some pics, many didn't turn out that well (my camera hates sun & hates glass, what a lot of them are landing on) and thought I'd share them with yous.

Aren't they beautiful little bugs?
http://nanryk.zoto.com/img/45/0bf2c1...9f8cb61ec-.jpg

They must like the cool concrete floor, i've been finding a LOT of them out on the shop floor.
http://nanryk.zoto.com/img/45/d695c5...f183fab84-.jpg

http://nanryk.zoto.com/img/45/321c75...64b4daabb-.jpg

http://nanryk.zoto.com/img/45/e0d0cd...782f3db23-.jpg

http://nanryk.zoto.com/img/45/4c12b3...217f40112-.jpg

I think they are cute little critters! :D

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK... RUN! It is an invasion!!

Yikes... lol, I'd run away.. lately I've developed a fear of big bugs

How funny Sue! I was sitting in here (our computer room) the other day I saw this green out of the corner of my eye on the blind. It was a praying mantis. He had gotten inside somehow. I took him outside, he flew away.

My sister is scared of them, she thinks they look like aliens. :p

yes, they are definately a beautiful insect, but, I just hate their breeding ritual!!!!!! :eek:

They are beautiful. I only see a few each summer, I wish I'd see more. :)

They are such cool bugs. The last picture is really good too. I can't remember the last time I saw a praying mantis, although when I was in 2nd grade we had baby praying mantis' in the classroom. They hatched from their sac thing and they were so tiny!!

They're so gorgeous!!

The thing about them beheading their mates is NOT common in the wild. It was happening almost 100% of the time in a study done (I believe) at UC Davis, because they underfeed the females slightly to increase their lifespan, so the females were hungry during mating. In the wild this happens less than 20% of the time.

I'll bet some one got them for organic pest control and they ran out of food and are seeking more.

I LOVE praying mantis. They are so pretty.

I remember playing with them (and keeping as pets) and learning so much about them when I was younger. They're really abundant in Oregon at this time of year.

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Originally Posted by Jadapit

My sister is scared of them, she thinks they look like aliens. :p

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But they DO look like aliens!! :D ;)

I see you picked one up! Is it a myth that they bite? I see a few around my parents house now and then, but never dared to pick em up.

I love Mantis'. :D

I love 'em!!

I was in kid's college a few years back and I got stuck in entomology. We raised baby Praying Mantis's and I actually took a couple home, raised them until they were big enough to be released! They are soooooo teeny when they are born and so cute!

I like these bugs too!! But..... to many is to many...... Any idea what caused this plague??

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Originally Posted by Corinna

I'll bet some one got them for organic pest control and they ran out of food and are seeking more.

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I never knew anything about that. So it is possible that say a farmer or the like got a bunch instead of using pesticides? That would explain why I am seeing about 40 more in just a week than I usually see ALL summer long. There are a LOT of farm fields surrounding my work.

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Originally Posted by ramanth

I see you picked one up! Is it a myth that they bite? I see a few around my parents house now and then, but never dared to pick em up.

I love Mantis'. :D

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I've never heard of that Kimmy. Since I've been picking them up since I was a kid and I've yet to get bitten I would have to say no, they don't bite. But then again, maybe they don't bite me because they feel that I am no threat to them. I don't know.
The hairs or whatever on their legs can sometimes almost feel like they are almost about to bite though, if they touch a thin spot of your skin just right. Otherwise it just tickles.

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Originally Posted by Maya & Inka's mommy

I like these bugs too!! But..... to many is to many...... Any idea what caused this plague??

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I am not sure, if what Corinna said is true my bet would be that that is what happened.

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Originally Posted by Pembroke_Corgi

They are such cool bugs. The last picture is really good too.

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Oh I know Jill, I LOVE that last pic, I wish I got her back end, I want to use it as my wallpaper. I love her shadow on the windshield.

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Originally Posted by lv4dogs

I've never heard of that Kimmy. Since I've been picking them up since I was a kid and I've yet to get bitten I would have to say no, they don't bite. But then again, maybe they don't bite me because they feel that I am no threat to them. I don't know.
The hairs or whatever on their legs can sometimes almost feel like they are almost about to bite though, if they touch a thin spot of your skin just right. Otherwise it just tickles.

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Ah ha! Praying Mantis beware! Next time I see one, I'll scoop it up. :D I think my mom told me they bite if only to keep me from pestering the little critters. ;) :D

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Originally Posted by ramanth

Ah ha! Praying Mantis beware! Next time I see one, I'll scoop it up. :D I think my mom told me they bite if only to keep me from pestering the little critters. ;) :D

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I actually have about 5 pics of me carrying different mantis's the last few days if you want to see. My dad took those pics so they are all blurry like the one I posted here but it shows that I don't get bite by them. lol My dad is just amazed as I am about the abundance of these bugs this year. He just had to get a pic of every one that I saved from the shop, or at least every one I saved while he was here. lol

Ugg. They look exactly like alien creatures. :eek: Once when I was a kid,
we were playing hide & seek & I was hiding in bushes near a nieighbor house
when I suddenly spotted a praying mantis directily in front of my face :eek:
I screamed so loud I was found in 2 minutes. :D