Master Gardeners of Ventura County
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Master Gardeners of Ventura County

Posts Tagged: mantids

Do You Have 'Cats?

If you have a passionflower vine (Passiflora), you probably have cats. No, not the four-legged ones that meow, chase mice or cavort with catnip. These 'cats or caterpillars are part of the life cycle of the Gulf Fritillary butterflies (Agraulis...

A Gulf Fritillary caterpillar on a passionflower (Passiflora) leaf. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Gulf Fritillary caterpillar on a passionflower (Passiflora) leaf. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Gulf Fritillary caterpillar on a passionflower (Passiflora) leaf. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Munch, munch, munch! A Gulf Fritillary caterpillar is chomping away. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Munch, munch, munch! A Gulf Fritillary caterpillar is chomping away. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Munch, munch, munch! A Gulf Fritillary caterpillar is chomping away. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This image shows a Gulf Fritillary caterpillar, a chrysalis and an adult. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This image shows a Gulf Fritillary caterpillar, a chrysalis and an adult. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This image shows a Gulf Fritillary caterpillar, a chrysalis and an adult. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Dorsal view of a newly eclosed Gulf Fritillary nectaring on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Dorsal view of a newly eclosed Gulf Fritillary nectaring on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Dorsal view of a newly eclosed Gulf Fritillary nectaring on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at 6:04 PM
Tags: Agraulis vanillae (0), birds (0), caterpillars (0), cats (0), Gulf Fritillary (0), praying mantids (0), predators (0), prey (0), wasps (0)
Focus Area Tags: Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

They Met the Mantids--and Scores of Other Critters

They met the mantids, walking sticks, beetle-mimicking roaches, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, tarantulas, silkworm moths, a butterfly, a dozen caterpillars and a chrysalis. It was a great day to get acquainted with insects and arachnids and learn how...

A tropical praying mantis, Choeradodis stalii: camouflaged. Lohit Garikipati displayed five of his female praying mantids. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A tropical praying mantis, Choeradodis stalii: camouflaged. Lohit Garikipati displayed five of his female praying mantids. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A tropical praying mantis, Choeradodis stalii: camouflaged. Lohit Garikipati displayed five of his female praying mantids. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Middle school students from the Elk Grove Unified School District talk to praying mantis expert Lohit Garikipati, a UC Davis alumnus who rears mantids. In back is Bohart associate Emma Cluff. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Middle school students from the Elk Grove Unified School District talk to praying mantis expert Lohit Garikipati, a UC Davis alumnus who rears mantids. In back is Bohart associate Emma Cluff. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Middle school students from the Elk Grove Unified School District talk to praying mantis expert Lohit Garikipati, a UC Davis alumnus who rears mantids. In back is Bohart associate Emma Cluff. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Doctoral student and Bohart associate Ziad Khouri talks to visitors about tarantulas and millipedes. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Doctoral student and Bohart associate Ziad Khouri talks to visitors about tarantulas and millipedes. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Doctoral student and Bohart associate Ziad Khouri talks to visitors about tarantulas and millipedes. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bohart associate Greg Kareofelas explains the moth and butterfly collection to a group of Elk Grove middle students. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bohart associate Greg Kareofelas explains the moth and butterfly collection to a group of Elk Grove middle students. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bohart associate Greg Kareofelas explains the moth and butterfly collection to a group of Elk Grove middle students. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Entomology alumnus Nicole Tam talks about her beetle-mimicking roaches. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Entomology alumnus Nicole Tam talks about her beetle-mimicking roaches. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Entomology alumnus Nicole Tam talks about her beetle-mimicking roaches. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Entomology student Ian Clark staffs the family crafts activity, which involved decorating silkworm cocoons for finger puppets. In back are silkworm moth expert İsmail Şeker and UC Davis entomology student Andrew Goffinet. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Entomology student Ian Clark staffs the family crafts activity, which involved decorating silkworm cocoons for finger puppets. In back are silkworm moth expert İsmail Şeker and UC Davis entomology student Andrew Goffinet. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Entomology student Ian Clark staffs the family crafts activity, which involved decorating silkworm cocoons for finger puppets. In back are silkworm moth expert İsmail Şeker and UC Davis entomology student Andrew Goffinet. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Entomology student Ben Maples shows a Madagascar hissing cockroach. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Gavey)
Entomology student Ben Maples shows a Madagascar hissing cockroach. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Gavey)

Entomology student Ben Maples shows a Madagascar hissing cockroach. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Gavey)

A Bohart Museum of Entomolgoy visitor gets acquainted with an Australian walking stick. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Bohart Museum of Entomolgoy visitor gets acquainted with an Australian walking stick. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Bohart Museum of Entomolgoy visitor gets acquainted with an Australian walking stick. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Entomologist Jeff Smith, who curates the Lepitoptera section, awaits visitors. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Entomologist Jeff Smith, who curates the Lepitoptera section, awaits visitors. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Entomologist Jeff Smith, who curates the Lepitoptera section, awaits visitors. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Entomologist Ann Kao, a 2019 UC Davis graduate who now works at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, crafts insect jewelry. At right is one of the t-shirts from the gift shop. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Entomologist Ann Kao, a 2019 UC Davis graduate who now works at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, crafts insect jewelry. At right is one of the t-shirts from the gift shop. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Entomologist Ann Kao, a 2019 UC Davis graduate who now works at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, crafts insect jewelry. At right is one of the t-shirts from the gift shop. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Friday, December 6, 2019 at 5:21 PM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Economic Development, Environment, Family, Innovation

Like to Raise a Butterfly? Or Another Insect? Attend Bohart Open House Nov. 16

A Gulf Fritillary butterfly, Agraulis vanillae, sips nectar from the lavender blossom of a passionflower vine, its host plant. Another Gulf Frit flutters in to investigate. A female and male Gulf Frit find one another. Near them, Gulf Frit caterpillars...

A Gulf Fritillary nectars the blossom of a passionflower vine, its host plant, while another Gulf Frit flutters in. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Gulf Fritillary nectars the blossom of a passionflower vine, its host plant, while another Gulf Frit flutters in. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Gulf Fritillary nectars the blossom of a passionflower vine, its host plant, while another Gulf Frit flutters in. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male and a female butterfly find another. These are Gulf Fritillaries, Agraulis vanillae. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A male and a female butterfly find another. These are Gulf Fritillaries, Agraulis vanillae. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male and a female butterfly find another. These are Gulf Fritillaries, Agraulis vanillae. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Gulf Frillary caterpillar munching the leaves of a passionflower. Caterpillars will be displayed at the Bohart Museum open house on Nov. 16. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Gulf Frillary caterpillar munching the leaves of a passionflower. Caterpillars will be displayed at the Bohart Museum open house on Nov. 16. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Gulf Frillary caterpillar munching the leaves of a passionflower. Caterpillars will be displayed at the Bohart Museum open house on Nov. 16. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Walking the line. A Gulf Fritillary caterpillar crawls along the stem of a passionflower vine. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Walking the line. A Gulf Fritillary caterpillar crawls along the stem of a passionflower vine. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Walking the line. A Gulf Fritillary caterpillar crawls along the stem of a passionflower vine. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Like to learn how to raise Madagascar hissing cockroaches? Bohart scientists will tell you how on Nov. 16 at their open house. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Like to learn how to raise Madagascar hissing cockroaches? Bohart scientists will tell you how on Nov. 16 at their open house. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Like to learn how to raise Madagascar hissing cockroaches? Bohart scientists will tell you how on Nov. 16 at their open house. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Silkworm moth expert İsmail Şeker, a Turkish medical doctor, will show his newly produced video about the silkworm moth life cycle at 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16. (Photo courtesy of İsmail Şeker)
Silkworm moth expert İsmail Şeker, a Turkish medical doctor, will show his newly produced video about the silkworm moth life cycle at 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16. (Photo courtesy of İsmail Şeker)

Silkworm moth expert İsmail Şeker, a Turkish medical doctor, will show his newly produced video about the silkworm moth life cycle at 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16. (Photo courtesy of İsmail Şeker)

A male praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, as identified by entomologist Lohit Garikipati, UC Davis alumnus. (Photo by  Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A male praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, as identified by entomologist Lohit Garikipati, UC Davis alumnus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, as identified by entomologist Lohit Garikipati, UC Davis alumnus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Friday, November 15, 2019 at 5:50 PM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Economic Development, Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

How to Find a Praying Mantis

Do you know where your praying mantids are? Water a bush or a plant frequently visited by bees and other pollinators, and if they're in there, they're likely to emerge. Such was the case when a male praying mantis, Mantis religiosa, emerged from our...

A male praying mantis, Mantis religiosa, emerges from a pomegranate bush. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A male praying mantis, Mantis religiosa, emerges from a pomegranate bush. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male praying mantis, Mantis religiosa, emerges from a pomegranate bush. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female praying mantis, Mantis religiosa, strikes a pose. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A female praying mantis, Mantis religiosa, strikes a pose. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female praying mantis, Mantis religiosa, strikes a pose. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Tuesday, August 21, 2018 at 5:00 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

The World of Praying Mantids: A Question Posed, A Question Answered

Last summer you may have happened upon praying mantids mating. Hopefully, the male didn't lose his head. Which begs a question asked by a reader: How long after mating does the female lay or produce her egg case (ootheca)? "Usually it takes a week or...

Mating pair of Stagmomantis limbata, a common mantis in Vacaville, Calif. The male did not lose his head. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Mating pair of Stagmomantis limbata, a common mantis in Vacaville, Calif. The male did not lose his head. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Mating pair of Stagmomantis limbata, a common mantis in Vacaville, Calif. The male did not lose his head. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Mating pair of mega mantids, Plistospilota guineensis. These mantids are part of Andrew Pfeifer's collection in Monroe County, N.C. See the result below! (Photo by Andrew Pfeifer)
Mating pair of mega mantids, Plistospilota guineensis. These mantids are part of Andrew Pfeifer's collection in Monroe County, N.C. See the result below! (Photo by Andrew Pfeifer)

Mating pair of mega mantids, Plistospilota guineensis. These mantids are part of Andrew Pfeifer's collection in Monroe County, N.C. See the result below! (Photo by Andrew Pfeifer)

Praying mantis authority Andrew Pfeifer, who administers the public Facebook page, Mantis Keepers, captured this image of his Plistospilota guineensis ootheca. It's about the size of a large chicken egg. (Photo by Andrew Pfeifer)
Praying mantis authority Andrew Pfeifer, who administers the public Facebook page, Mantis Keepers, captured this image of his Plistospilota guineensis ootheca. It's about the size of a large chicken egg. (Photo by Andrew Pfeifer)

Praying mantis authority Andrew Pfeifer, who administers the public Facebook page, Mantis Keepers, captured this image of his Plistospilota guineensis ootheca. It's about the size of a large chicken egg. (Photo by Andrew Pfeifer)

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