Mantis Diary 16

I found a male and a female praying mantis, along with a fresh ootheca (eggcase) on the apple tree. This is the female. She has a damaged eye. Since she is slim I suspect she has just finished making the ootheca. It is poorly made, crooked, and some of the egg chambers are not properly covered. Eyes are not required for building the ootheca (see here why not), but I wonder if her brain was damaged too. Or perhaps she was being menaced by the male as she worked. He was certainly interested in her.

In the extra shot is the scene I discovered. The male is lower left, and turning away at that moment. The female is upper right, with the ootheca directly below her on the branch, just below the yellow lichen. Soon after this she moved away slowly and he followed at a distance.

I also found a new ootheca on the bean fence by the greenhouse door.