Collecting experience in Arizona during May
This post only concentrating on the collecting experience for mantis in Arizona during mid May
Christian visited me back in 2008 where we visited several parks in Houston and few canyons in Arizona. It was a fun trip. This year we
decided to visit Arizona in mid May due to our busy schedule. Although not a good time for collecting bug, it would be interesting to
check out the insect habitat this early.
We left Houston on May 13th early morning and arrived morning too. As soon as I stepped out of the plane I can feel the dry air
pinching on my skin! What a contrast to the humid Southern Texas weather.
The first two days of our visit was planned on Green Valley. We did not check into the hotel since it was still early so after a quick lunch
we went to check out the route towards Madera Canyon. The dry air keeps the temperature around mid 80s at noon but the
temperature on the ground is another story. Not many insect activities on the ground which probably means the ants are either active
early in the morning or later in the evening in this time of the year.
Most of the vegetation along the roadside were pretty much dried up but amazingly there are still some bugs (main nymphs of
grasshopper) jumping around. We also came across a stick insect, although well camouflage with the dried grass and stick.
There were a few ground mantis and also a Yersiniops mantis (which I like to call the Arizona grasshopper mantis) that own a pair
of strong jumping legs like grasshopper. Both species of mantis appear to be immature which is expected around this time of the
year.
But one of the ground mantis appear to be a subadult male, meaning it could have been growing through the previous winter as
alternate generation as to the usual wet Summer generation. But it is no surprise if there is actually 2 breeding cycle for the mantis
species in Tucson due to the mild winter and desert-like habitat. There was also mantis oothecae of Stagmomantis sp. that have
already hatched collected from Mesquite trees.
The ground mantis seems to be able to tolerate the ground heat without problem. While the Yersiniops mantis are found on vertical
position clinging on a grass just like a grasshopper. Most of the bugs seek refuge in shady area during 1-4 PM which appear to be
the hottest time of the day.
We went to a small town call Arivaca the following day and that place appear to have highest density of ground mantis I have ever
seen. Most of the mantis was really small at about 3 mm and above so I have to almost glue my face to the ground to look for them.
Christian and I caught the ‘hunting fever’ and both of us managed to captured 30 nymphs of ground mantis and few Yersiniops
mantis, all in the matter of 1 hour. We later came back to this area in the evening and found another 30+ more nymphs.
During the day time, when it is getting hot, the ground mantis can be spotted easily running around but difficult to capture as the
mantis are really active, easily lose sight with a blink of eyes.
In the evening, the mantids are more difficult to spot as the mantids prefer not to move as temperature starting to drop. But once the
mantis is spotted it is likely that the mantis is captured. The weather temperature could vary dramatically from place to place. I
remember it was about 69F when we decided to drive back to Green Valley (about 20 miles from Arivaca) but by the time we get
back it was 80F!
We continue our visit in Tucson down the Catalina foothill for the next two days but there was no live mantis nymphs spotted. Only
some empty egg cases of Stagmomantis sp.
All in all, it was a great experience collecting bugs in Arizona and a new experience finding mantis this early of the year. I don’t know
when exactly I will go back to Tucson again but I am sure I will.
