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  • Praying mantis shipping schedule

    Created by Ryan on September 26, 2014 at 9:55 am

    Hi. I live in San Francisco where it doesn’t typically stay warm enough for praying mantis eggs to hatch until late August (above 70F for a week or longer). How late into the growing season are the eggs available? We have a pretty bad caterpillar problem around the same time and the parasitic wasps don’t seem to be doing the trick.

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  • September 27, 2014 at 8:38 am #152298

    Eric Vinje
    Keymaster

    Ryan –

    We receive our praying mantis egg cases around the first of the year and can ship them to you anytime after that. In addition, praying mantis eggs can take 6-8 weeks of warm temperatures, 65-75 degrees daytime, no lower than 45 degrees at night, to hatch. Plan ahead and hatch them early so that they are around when caterpillars arrive.

    To speed up the hatch, we recommend placing egg cases — still in the bag — on top of a refrigerator, or some place that is consistently warm, but not hot. Do not place them on a windowsill as temperatures fluctuate too much.

    Once the tiny mantis hatch, you should put them outside immediately. Praying mantis nymphs are cannibalistic.

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