garden

Your Neighborhood Gecko

Olivia G. Schweikart5 Comments

Because of their solo nature, it’s not likely to spot a group of geckos in the wild. However, one species of gecko has adapted to a more urban lifestyle: the Mediterranean Gecko. Better known as the Common House Gecko, these creatures originated between the Northern parts of Africa and Southern Europe.

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First introduced to other warm countries, the Mediterranean Gecko made its way to Florida and has been leaving a trail ever since. If you live in an urbanized part of the Southeastern United States, there’s a good chance you have a few house guests.

Don’t be alarmed yet, though. These lizards are ferocious insect hunters and are great for keeping down the insect population outside your home. The best way to spot them is at night on a lit porch where insects tend to collect, however on occasion, you may be able to see some wandering about throughout the day.  These geckos tend to be skittish and are likely to run from human presence, but if you happen to get close to one, their docile nature presents no cause for danger.

While there is a wide range of color morphs for Mediterranean Geckos, a few identifying characteristics remain the same. If you feel you have a few new outdoor companions, the identification guide below might prove useful:

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If you answered yes to all of these questions, then you’ve got yourself a fierce home defender! They may not be the best at insuring your cars, but they will definitely give bugs a run for their money.

 

The Slaying Mantis

Olivia G. Schweikart1 Comment

crocus-100157_1280You come home from a long day’s work to relax in your garden, only to find yourself swatting at pests that keep multiplying. Not to mention, you’ve begun to notice recurring holes in your plant leaves.

With all the hard work you’ve put in, wouldn’t it be nice to have a form of pest control that you didn’t have to constantly re-apply?

Mantis religiosa, commonly known as the praying mantis, serves as an excellent protector in that it defends plants from invaders while itself requiring little human care/attention.

What’s the benefit?

Mantis religiosa casings typically hatch around 300 eggs, but do not be alarmed at this large value! On average, only around one fifth of the hatchlings survives to reach maturity.

After reaching adulthood, these insects will eat anything they can grasp. Often perceived as slow, mantids are actually voracious hunters and are able to take in their prey within a matter of seconds. Assuming sixty mantises make it to adulthood from the casing, you’re looking at a decent-sized army for your garden.

The average lifespan of a mantis ranges from four to six months. This allows for cases to be let down twice a year, saving you added time for routine pest maintenance. The odds are, however, that the mantises you place originally will breed to form their own cases, causing the initial purchase to turn into a long-term, compounding investment.

praying-166788_1280  praying-1197615_1280.jpg                                            Common mantis | Common Black Ant

How do you raise them?

When hatching, the mantises will need to be placed in either a hatching net or an enclosure that is large enough to accommodate the soon-to-be nymphs. Due to their small nature, the younglings will need to be fed fruit flies (flightless options are available at minimal cost). When they grow large enough to eat other, larger insects (e.g. ladybugs), they can then be released into your garden to be self-sustaining.

Where do I get them?

Mantid casings can be purchased for as low as $5.00 each from Arbico Organics. In addition, cases can be found from locations such as Amazon and Ace Hardware.

In case you are interested, I have listed a few general items to consider purchasing below:

Egg Cases | Arbico Organics

Egg Cases & Habitat | Amazon

Wingless Fruit Fly Starter Kit | Amazon