Master Gardeners of Ventura County
University of California
Master Gardeners of Ventura County

Posts Tagged: praying mantis

Just Dropping by to Say 'Hello'

A praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, stretches beneath a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in a Vacaville garden. Ms. Mantis: (Startled to see she is not alone) "Well, hello, there! How are ya? I'm just dropping by to say...

A praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, stretches beneath a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, stretches beneath a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, stretches beneath a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Tuesday, August 27, 2024 at 5:54 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

Meet a Male Mantis in a Patch of Blanket Flowers

So there he is, a praying mantis in a patch of blanket flowers, Gaillardia, in a Vacaville garden. He's a male Mantis religiosa, as slim as a string bean, and scanning his environment. We're accustomed to seeing see the native...

The male Mantis religiosa, investigates his surroundings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The male Mantis religiosa, investigates his surroundings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male Mantis religiosa, investigates his surroundings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Oh, I think I'll go this way. The male praying mantis changes directions. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Oh, I think I'll go this way. The male praying mantis changes directions. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Oh, I think I'll go this way. The male praying mantis changes directions. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male mantis does an Olympic-style stretch.  (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The male mantis does an Olympic-style stretch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male mantis does an Olympic-style stretch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at 5:13 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

Let Us Prey

So here's this female praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, camouflaged on a narrow-leaf milkweed, Asclepias fasciculari, in a Vacaville garden. If she thinks she's going to ambush a monarch, she has another think coming. No monarchs in the...

A female praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, moves up a narrow-leafed milkweed in a search for prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A female praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, moves up a narrow-leafed milkweed in a search for prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, moves up a narrow-leafed milkweed in a search for prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Friday, July 26, 2024 at 7:38 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

Our Buddies in the Garden

When you venture into your pollinator garden, look for the beauty, color, diversity and the intensity that surrounds you. You will be astounded. A honey bee nectaring on lavender in a soft-pastel scenario. A katydid nymph crawling (backlit) on a...

A honey bee nectars on lavender in a Vacaville garden. The soft pastel colors almost resemble a painting. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee nectars on lavender in a Vacaville garden. The soft pastel colors almost resemble a painting. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee nectars on lavender in a Vacaville garden. The soft pastel colors almost resemble a painting. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A katydid nymph crawls on a blanketflower, Gaillaria. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A katydid nymph crawls on a blanketflower, Gaillaria. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A katydid nymph crawls on a blanketflower, Gaillaria. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Gulf Fritillary butterfly, Agraulis vanillae, nectaring on lantana. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Gulf Fritillary butterfly, Agraulis vanillae, nectaring on lantana. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Gulf Fritillary butterfly, Agraulis vanillae, nectaring on lantana. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, perched on a Cosmo and looking for prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, perched on a Cosmo and looking for prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, perched on a Cosmo and looking for prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Goodbye! A yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, exits a lavender patch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Goodbye! A yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, exits a lavender patch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Goodbye! A yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, exits a lavender patch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at 8:57 PM
Tags: bumble bee (40), bumble bee (40), butterfly (22), Cameras (1), garden tool (1), honey bee (249), insects (79), katydid nymph (4), pollinator garden (29), praying mantis (144)
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

A Mantis on the Milkweed

So here's this immature praying mantis, a Stagmomantis limbata, perched on a narrow-leafed milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis, in a Vacaville pollinator garden. She's camouflaged quite well. She's as green and thin as the leaves. Me: "Hey, Ms....

A camouflaged praying mantis, a Stagmomantis limbata, perched on a  narrow-leafed milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A camouflaged praying mantis, a Stagmomantis limbata, perched on a narrow-leafed milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A camouflaged praying mantis, a Stagmomantis limbata, perched on a narrow-leafed milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Praying mantis perched on a milkweed, the host plant for monarchs.  She seems to be saying:
Praying mantis perched on a milkweed, the host plant for monarchs. She seems to be saying: "Sure, I'm occupying a milkweed, but I promise I'll never even LOOK at a monarch. I'll close my eyes should one flutter by." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Praying mantis perched on a milkweed, the host plant for monarchs. She seems to be saying: "Sure, I'm occupying a milkweed, but I promise I'll never even LOOK at a monarch. I'll close my eyes should one flutter by." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The mantis keeps an eye out for prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The mantis keeps an eye out for prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The mantis keeps an eye out for prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The mantis assumes the prayerful position--let us prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The mantis assumes the prayerful position--let us prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The mantis assumes the prayerful position--let us prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at 4:51 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

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