Mantids

Just to set the record straight.  On September 25th, I watched a mantid producing an egg case, and I wondered about the shape of it.  There are egg cases in two different shapes, which can be found in our meadow.

The egg case on top is probably the Chinese mantid, and the lower one the European mantid.  Both were imported as biological control measures.  Feel free to help yourself to any of these oothera.  The mower will destroy many, but we will have no shortage of mantids next year.