A Gift of Praying Mantises

My mom, a retired kindergarten teacher, thought it would be a wonderful idea if she ordered a habitat and praying mantis egg cases for her grandchildren.  I too initially thought it would be fun!  

The three egg cases came today.  O eagerly opened the box while I read the directions.  First, I read that each egg case contains 150 to 300 nymphs (baby praying mantis). Initially, I assumed that I read that part wrong.  (Science was never my best subject in school.)  

My eyes went straight to EGG HATCHING INSTRUCTIONS.  After placing a paper towel on the bottom of the habitat, I was given a few options of how to secure an egg case to a stick or branch.  The first two involved using pins, or a needle and thread.  I chose the option of using super glue. Regardless,  it took a good amount of time to help O superglue three egg cases to three sticks.  We then placed them in the habitat and read a little further.  

"Spray mist the habitat once every day or two lightly with non-chlorinated water."  O ran upstairs and grabbed the spray bottle she uses for her doll's hair and I went to find some bottled water.  The only bottled water we had was frigid cold, so I put it in a coffee cup and warmed it up for the little praying mantis eggs.  O spritzed the habitat once.

We found the perfect place in our kitchen for the habitat to live and I sat down to read a little further.  I especially wanted to know more about how many praying mantis we may be expecting.  Here is what I found out...

• It's true 150 to 300 tiny mantises per egg.  If all three eggs hatch, we will have 450 to 600 tiny mantises to feed!!!!!  
• Oh and speaking of feeding, we will need to feed the little critters fruit flies.  Who knew we might be able to buy fruit fly cultures at our local pet supply store.  If that doesn't work, we need to contact a fruit fly supplier.  Can't wait to meet him!
• It doesn't end there.  No.  As it turns out, as they get bigger we will be buying crickets, maggots, houseflies, moths caterpillars and spiders.  So if they get a little hungry, what's the worst that can happen...they will EAT EACH OTHER! 
• Mantises molt (shed their skeletons every 2-3 weeks) so once they hatch we can't release them into the wild until their third molt...8-9 weeks...three months of feedings and spritzings.

While I was reading all of this, O wanted my attention.  My mind couldn't help but think about the amount of time it will take to maintain this science experiment.  O came up to me, looked me in the eye and said, "Mommy, did you hear me?  I hate bugs, especially praying mantises."  I feel your pain O!  Kindergarten SUCKS!