Mantis failure

Well, I don't know if we missed it, but we are calling the praying mantids a failure. They never seemed to hatch and since it is getting so late in the year, I doubt they will. In fact, they better not because the food the company sent to feed them has died off. 

unhatched egg sack

Now it is very likely we did something wrong. I may of missed a step or something, but we never saw anything. So the other day I convinced Pooka that it was time to let Mother Nature do her thing. We removed the egg sacks from the little house and Pooka loved being able to touch and look at them. She was amazed that something like this held eggs.

Egg sack in it's new home

Pooka decided that we would place the egg sacks in the herb garden just in case they actually do still hatch. That garden is doing well, but I think some natural pest control would not be a bad thing. Pooka is still a bit upset by the whole idea, but I promised her next year we will try again earlier in the year. I also told her that we may even try ladybugs. I swear my house is slowing becoming a haven for insects. At least they are the good kind for now.