petalfuzz
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Posts: 632
Joined: Sat May 31, 2008 3:37 pm

I saw a praying mantis!

It was only about an 1" long and it was eating what looked like an aphid among my swiss chard! I was excited cause it was the second one I've seen in my life--yippee!

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applestar
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Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Great! :D
I saw two babies this morning myself... "Oh, hello!" :lol: It's one of the best indicators that you're going organic and not KILLING your helpers. It's so exciting to see your garden transform into a HABITAT, an OASIS, a SANCTUARY... any other words we could use here? Oh yes -- COME ALIVE !!! :wink:

Haesuse
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Posts: 168
Joined: Sun May 03, 2009 9:18 pm
Location: Birmingham-AL, USA

yea, I've got mantises galore. they're all over my peppers. ladybugs drop by throughout the day, too. I also have this crazy looking little bug that looks a lot like a scorpion, but only has 6 legs, and no stinger. they seem to prey on bugs, too, whatever the heck they are. oh, and garden spiders. lots of them. I love watching them weave. oh, and I apparently missed ONE of the cherry tomato eating catterpillars, as yesterday I found a split open cocoon on the underside of one of my plants after turning it 90 degrees. I guess he was the one who ate 5 of my tomatoes. god bless him...



I had to spray some soap solution a few times early in the year, because of all-of-a-sudden massive aphid breakouts, but, nothing at all for months now. it's awesome.


I keep aquariums, too, and most people hate snails in their tanks. I love them. they prune my plants for me. I have a ton of light on my tanks, and my aquatic plants grow like weeds, and if I didn't have snails helping me prune, I'd have to prune my tanks several hours a week. now I do it a few minutes a month...



ecosystems are neat.

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freedhardwoods
Senior Member
Posts: 253
Joined: Sun May 17, 2009 9:32 pm
Location: Southwest IN

There are several baby mantisses crawling around at work, but that place is the complete opposite of organic. They spray bug and weed spray all the time.



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