The best laid plans of mice, men, retirees and praying mantises!

It was carefully planned. A free Tuesday, no school visits, just a quick trip to have my car tyre pressure corrected, and then off to the library where I'd sit and think and write....

So, I packed my charged laptop in my shoulder bag, pushed a couple of sweets in my pocket, and set out.

Tyre pressure corrected kindly at a nearby tyre store, I parked at the library and went inside. My favorite table, the one that overlooks the base of a big tree, was empty....yeah! I unpacked my laptop, pushed the on button, and unwrapped the two sweets. As I began to chew and enjoy the taste of strawberry, I checked my email.

The first letter I read was from Jeannine..............

Hey---your citizen scientists are very excited this morning.  I love when their sentences begin with....."We are curious...."

So, read below what they discovered this morning.

Dear a scientist Mr.Paul, 

  

We all love your citizen science group.  We were so excited when we found that egg sack on the rock.  We did some research on it and found out is was a praying mantis egg sack.  We are going to try and hatch it.  Ms.West was telling us that you had a perfect habitat to hatch the eggs in.  We were wondering if you could bring in the gas tank?? 

Last week, when out with a small group of 5th grader Citizen Scientists, looking for spiders, we found a rock with this peculiar shape stuck to its underside:

This morning, the 5th grade Citizen Scientists had carried out some research and discovered it was a praying mantis egg sac! WOW! So much for my plans for a quiet couple of hours in the library......:)

I had to go and see it.

I packed my computer and, stopping first at the nearby Starbucks for a couple of coffees (one for me and a grande non-fat wet cappucino (sp?) for Jeannine), and made my way to her school.

The group of young Citizen Scientists were ecstatic!!
"Mr. Paull, Mr. Paull, that blob on the rock - it's an egg sac, egg sac of a praying mantis!"

I went home to fetch a big glass jar so that the kids could make a home for the praying mantis eggs. The egg sac, one Citizen Scientist said, could hold up to 200 eggs. 200 baby praying mantises!!!!

Can't wait to hear this evening from Jeannine what transpired during the rest of the day.