Praying Mantises – Using Praying Mantids for Pest Control

Praying Mantises and Their Role In Pest Control

Over the centuries, we have struggled to save our crops and properties from insect infestation. Modern means of control include the use of chemicals. However, if you want to use the safest method to controlling infestation, you should consider availing praying mantis eggs. Raising praying mantis for pest control is an alternate but more effective way to pest control.

With changing times there have been severe changes in different fields and activities which influence our lifestyle in such a great manner. Important changes have also been made in the professional fields as well. One such amazing change has been in the pest control sector. With time, more people have started to settle in different parts of the world. But there has been a very hectic problem that many of us have faced before. Yes! You got it right! The problem which we are talking about is pest infestation. Pest infestation is a very serious problem which can cause huge damage to any kind of property it attacks. Therefore, to help us, innumerable agencies have come up with different pest control methods. These methods deal with different situations depending on the scenario. Let us have a look at the different types of benefits that a person can get when they take the help of pest control services.

1. Benefits of the Pest Control Services

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When you are taking the help of a pest control agency it is without any doubt that they are going to help you in the best possible way so that you can eliminate the risk of pests attacking your property. With time the pest control companies have started to provide their customers with exemplary services which have helped them to achieve a lot of benefits. Here are some of the top benefits that you can get.

Use of Good Methods

when we think of eliminating the pests from a property, we probably think that the use of pesticides and insecticides is the only way which can help us. Therefore many people overuse or use pesticides which have a very negative effect on their crops and also the living organisms which are present in the area. But the pest control companies are well aware of tackling any kind of pest infestation scenario and they have various methods with the help of which they are able to tackle such infestation very easily.

Fewer Health Impacts

when harmful insects attack your property it is not only the material things which get affected but also the people living in or around the place. Insect bites or touch can have a serious impact on a person’s health. They can face different kinds of problems which may be really difficult to deal with. The use of pesticides as well can be harmful to human beings too. Therefore, the pest control agencies make sure that they use potentially less harmful chemicals which will not cause any kind of physical problem to anyone.

Less Cleaning

once the harmful insects have been killed they will need to be cleaned out from the place and this can be a really hectic task to do. Therefore when you hire a pest control company, they will eliminate all the threats and will also clean the place up on your behalf. So you will not need to worry about cleaning and mopping the whole place once again after the work has been done.

Peace Of Mind

when you contact the pest control companies they are sure you that they are going to use the best methods and techniques which will help you to get rid of the pests that have infested your property. Therefore you will have a peace of mind knowing that your pest problem is being looked after and will be solved easily by professional people who have experience in the field.

Here are some of the top benefits that you get when you hire a professional pest control company to treat your pest infestation. These companies are available at different rates depending upon the condition of the infestation, the amount of area that needs to be treated and also what kind of methods that will be used to help you out. However, you should never neglect any kind of state which has been imposed by harmful insects because they can be really damaging and problematic in the long run. Now we are going to talk about the different ways in which pest control services are being made available to the people.

2. Types of Pest Control Methods Available

Praying Mantises Pest Control
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With the advancement of technology and Science, different methods have come out which have helped the people to treat the problem of pest infestation. Nowadays there are two major techniques with the help of which pests can be controlled and these are Chemical methods and Biological methods. The chemical methods are more traditional and are being used for a long time now whereas the biological methods are much newer and sophisticated way to treat any kind of pest problems that people face. Chemical methods include the use of insecticides and pesticides to eliminate pest threats which are spread over a much wider area. But, as people have become more conscious and aware of the negative effects of the harmful pesticides, the biological methods have taken the market by storm due to its conservative and environment-friendly methods. Mostly, biological method of pest control includes the use of beneficial insects which are usually predators in nature and they hunt upon the harmful insects which plague your property. As you can understand that there are several reasons because of which people are opting to choose biological methods over chemical uses. Let us have a look at the benefits of biological methods.

3. Why Should People Use Biological Methods?

biological method of pest control
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People should understand the huge difference between biological and chemical methods of pest control services because both of them are absolutely different from each other. Due to advancement in science and technology people have observed that use of pesticides and insecticides, cause potential damage not only to the human but also the crops and other living organisms. In the above section we have discussed the difference between chemical methods and biological methods and now we are going to tell you why the biological method is much more beneficial.

Deducted the Usage of Chemical

traditionally when insecticides and pesticides are used there was a lot of exposure of harmful chemicals and toxins over the crops and also the soil in which they would grow. This brought the living organisms in the area and also the human beings with contact of these harmful chemicals. Consequently, health and physical difficulties were observed and also resulted in death in all kinds of living organisms. Therefore people choose biological methods because they deduct the use of chemicals and help to control the harmful insects in a much Eco-friendly manner.

Non-Resistant To Toxins

scientists and agriculturalists have found out that due to the exposure of the harmful insects to pesticides and other toxins, these insects have developed different resistant ways by which they can survive even under the effects of these chemicals. However, when you are deploying a natural predator which is going to hunt down a harmful insect, there is nothing much that we can do about that except getting eaten up.

Much More Selective Than Chemical Methods

when you are applying a chemical form of pest control there is not much selection that you can do because it needs to be spread all over the area which is going to affect all the living organisms present in within it. But in biological methods, you can choose natural predators which are going to hunt down only their concerned prey and not going to alter with any other living organism. Thus it is much more selective than the chemical methods.

If you read this part carefully you will be able to understand that the differences between chemical and biological methods are very much prominent. The traditional use of chemicals and toxins really has a very harmful effect on every kind of organism that comes in contact with it. Therefore, undoubtedly another way has to be discovered and that is the biological methods. You can contact any of your local pest control company and ask them to inform you about the different biological methods which they can use effectively to prevent the spread of more infestation and eliminate the ones present currently.

4. What is The Praying Mantis?

praying mantis

Scientists have discovered almost 2300 species of different kinds of mantises which are present in this world. One of the most significant and popular species of Mantis is the giant praying Mantis. A Praying Mantis is a brilliant insect which can be easily kept as a pet and can be at the same time used very effectively for pest control services. One of the most notable features of this insect is that it can catch its prey which it is going to hunt with the help of its front legs which are very sturdy and versatile. The praying mantis is considered to be one of the most ancient insects that are living in the world and has also been related to Supernatural powers. The praying mantis has amazing hunting instincts which help it to hunt its prey very effectively. The adult length of a praying mantis can range from 10 to 16 cm making them one of the largest mantis species in this world. The praying mantis can be easily identified because of its green color which is very much prominent.

The Praying Mantis has six legs, two antennas and two wings with the help of which can also fly. You can easily distinguish between a female and male praying Mantis because the female mantises have much shorter antennas than the male counterpart. These mantises can be found extensively in almost every continent except Antarctica. But some of the most prominent and helpful mantises are found in the South American jungles, Africa and Asia. Here are some interesting facts about the Praying Mantis and now let us have a look at the egg sacs which a female praying mantis gives out once it has successfully finished the mating process with a fully developed male mantis.

5. How Do Praying Mantises Egg Sacs Look Like?

Praying Mantises Egg

The fully grown female praying mantis lays the eggs before she is dead. The sacs which are produced are generally 1 inch long and are rectangular in shape, more or less. The edges of the sac are rounded and are almost white in color. You can easily identify the egg sacs of a praying mantis by observing these notable features that we have mentioned. The eggs which have been played are covered with frothy foam-like substance which is also known as the ootheca. This ootheca hardens quickly with time and protects the eggs from receiving any damage and allows them to stay warm. With the suitable temperature with the help of which the eggs can survive is around 24°C. However, during the night, the temperature must be kept at 17°C. The eggs do not necessarily have to receive a good amount of humidity but a regulation between 45-60% is a good option. The egg sacs will have given out almost 200-250 nymphs in a single time. The nymphs which are produced are very small and are generally brownish-green in color.

You must keep this in mind that praying mantis is cannibalistic in nature and therefore they can attack each other when they are starting to develop into the adult phase and therefore you must separate them before they turn into full adults. However, the nymphs are not cannibalistic and only become so when they step into adulthood. If you want to delay the hatching process which usually takes about a day or two, then keep the ootheca under a temperature of 20°C but within 8°C or else they will not be able to survive. Very fewer temperatures can have a severe impact upon their development process. On the other hand, if you are planning to release them into nature, then you must not do so during winter conditions or temperature is which are not very warm because they will not survive. So here are all the details that you would like to know about the praying mantis egg sacs and how they look like. These egg sacs are really easy to identify because of the notable features that we have mentioned. Now we will move on to the breeding process and all the necessary details that will help you to successfully allow two mantises to mate with each other.

6. Praying Mantis Breeding Process and Details

Praying Mantis Breeding

The first and foremost step which you must follow if you want to produce the praying mantis egg sacs on your own is by introducing a male and female praying mantis in the same container. The male and female praying mantis will be ready for mating after about 6-9 weeks they have fully developed into adults. You can easily distinguish a male and female praying mantis as we have mentioned before because the female praying mantis is much bulkier and heavier than the male counterpart and also they have shorter antennas as well. When you are trying to mate both mantises, you must keep in mind that both of them must eat very well. This is because the female mantises can attack and even eat the male mantis if she feels hungry or gets aggressive all of a sudden during the mating process. Therefore, you would not want to take the loss of a male mantis due to such cannibalism. The mating process takes several hours to complete and at the end, the female will release the egg sacs which are covered with the ootheca which we have talked about in the previous section. Once the mating process ends, you must immediately separate the two insects because the female by now must feel really hungry. Here are the important steps that you must follow so that you can facilitate a successful mating between a female and male praying mantis.

Final Verdict

In this article, we have discussed the various ways in which pest control services have been helping people for a long time now. We have also mentioned the various benefits which you can get if you opt to choose biological methods over chemical techniques of treating the pests with. With advancement in science and technology, there will be more important changes that will be seen in the field of combating pests and other harmful insects. One of the most important beneficial insects in the field of pest control services is the Praying Mantis. We have discussed the egg sacs and other breeding characteristics so that you can help the mantis eggs to successfully develop and also prevent them from harming each other.

Each and every point that we have discussed in this article is very important for maintaining a suitable condition for the development of the egg sacs and the nymphs as well. You must put stress upon every condition and other regulations which we have mentioned so that there can be the healthy development of the egg sacs. We hope that this article has helped you to understand and know more about praying mantis and their egg sacs and how they mate with each other.

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