Neat picture, your stucco wall must be warm, unless it is sending signals to outer space for something to rescue it from the desolate earthscape on which it finds itself!
Yep! A very pregnant female Praying Mantis! Since you have said that you noticed one a year ago in the grass, they are apparently able to find a suitably warm spot to lay their eggs and/or survive the winter.
She may have gone up under your eaves to find a nice cozy spot to hang her cocoon (sack of eggs). Watch the wall next spring when the temperature gets up to about 60 degrees on that side of the house.
The pictures have a tendency to exaggerate the size. I think it is safe to say it's body was between 5 and 7 cm long.
After the pictures she fell off the wall. I then scooped her up and let her off amongst the still-green hollyhock, where she blended in beautifully. Since the hollyhocks are able to make it through the year on this sunny southern wall, I believe she (or her eggs) will too.
Good choice, James. The hollyhock leaves will give her the cover she needs to hide her egg sac and, if the hollyhocks can survive the winter there on the sunny side of the house, I believe her egg sac will as well. Maybe even she herself!
Watch for her as the Fall and Winter progresses. And look for her egg sac.
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Neat picture, your stucco wall must be warm, unless it is sending signals to outer space for something to rescue it from the desolate earthscape on which it finds itself!
Mom
Yep! A very pregnant female Praying Mantis! Since you have said that you noticed one a year ago in the grass, they are apparently able to find a suitably warm spot to lay their eggs and/or survive the winter.
She may have gone up under your eaves to find a nice cozy spot to hang her cocoon (sack of eggs). Watch the wall next spring when the temperature gets up to about 60 degrees on that side of the house.
We don't have bugs that big in Washington. I think that's an ear of corn that somebody glued some legs on.
The pictures have a tendency to exaggerate the size. I think it is safe to say it's body was between 5 and 7 cm long.
After the pictures she fell off the wall. I then scooped her up and let her off amongst the still-green hollyhock, where she blended in beautifully. Since the hollyhocks are able to make it through the year on this sunny southern wall, I believe she (or her eggs) will too.
Good choice, James. The hollyhock leaves will give her the cover she needs to hide her egg sac and, if the hollyhocks can survive the winter there on the sunny side of the house, I believe her egg sac will as well. Maybe even she herself!
Watch for her as the Fall and Winter progresses. And look for her egg sac.
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