Praying Mantis Egg Cases

A few praying mantis egg cases were donated to the Sanctuary and after one case hatched, the tiny mantids, known as nymphs, were released into the wild. Praying mantis egg cases yield 100’s of nymphs, often with only one or two that survive to adulthood.

The word is sometimes misspelled “preying” mantis because of its preying nature. The praying mantis is instead named for its prominent front legs, which are bent and held together at an angle that suggests the position of prayer. Mantids can turn their heads 180 degrees to scan their surroundings with two large compound eyes and three other simple eyes located between them. Praying mantis feed on moths, crickets, grasshoppers, flies, and other insects. However, the insects will also eat others of their own kind. The most famous example of this is the notorious mating behavior of the adult female, who sometimes eats her mate just after—or even during—mating. Yet this behavior seems not to deter males from reproduction.

If you are interested in learning more about the praying mantis, stop by the nature center here at the Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary to have a look at the egg cases we have on display. And don't forget to look out for mantids on the trails throughout the spring and summer!

Wood Frog Tadpoles at the Nature Center

A few days ago Wood Frog eggs were rescued from the leaking vernal pool and we are excited to announce the first eggs are hatching! Spring is here!

Wood Frogs are one of the first frogs to breed in early spring. Their call, which sounds like a "quack" can be heard around water that's near woods. All Wood Frogs mate in the same area, so the eggs are often found next to each other forming a large "egg matt" on the surface water. This matt will grow algae on it, and soon be disguised as pond slime. The algae is not only a food source for the young tadpoles, but also camouflages the tadpoles against predators such as the Green Frog.

Adult Wood Frogs travel quite far from the water during summer, leaving their tadpoles to fend for themselves. The Wood Frog grows to about three inches long and its color ranges from pinkish-brown to tan to dark brown. The adults are most active during the day, but they are protected by their coloring, which camouflages them. In winter, Wood Frogs hibernate by hiding under rocks, stumps, or leaf litter. They don't have to dig far. If they freeze, they thaw out come warmer temperatures.

We are very excited to be hosting the Wood Frog eggs for the next few weeks and can’t wait to continue to watch them hatch into tadpoles! Approximately 7-10 days after they have hatched, the tadpoles will begin to swim around and feed on algae. We have recreated the eggs’ natural habitat including a shallow amount of water with plenty of leaves and algae for the tadpoles to feed on. After about 6-9 weeks, tiny legs will start to sprout. At around 9 weeks the arms will begin to bulge where they will eventually pop out, elbow first. At this point, the tadpoles will begin to look like teeny frogs with long tails. 

We will be updating our followers on Facebook at the ‘New Jersey Audubon’s Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary’ page on the status of our tadpoles. Be sure to follow along and stop by the Nature Store to watch them grow before they are released into the wild!