We did a science project this summer with Asher and Evie on Praying Mantises and butterflies. We ordered an egg sack and caterpillars from Carolina Biological Supply and grew some insects. It was really neat - especially the praying mantises - though it took a lot longer for them to hatch than it did for the caterpillars to grow into butterflies. There's no real way to describe what a praying mantis egg sack looks like as they emerge from the sack, but it's pretty amazing to watch. But be sure to NOT let them hatch inside your house! There were hundreds of tiny little mantis-nymphs spread all over the habitat and we promptly released them onto my pear tree. My pears are thanking me for the carnivorous little guys by growing to plump edible fruits with almost no bug bites. I may order another egg sack for each of my fruit trees next year along with some form of organic tree fertilizer for fruit trees to make all my fruit nice and plump!
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