54 Bulletin 185. 



At Rochester, the insect is geograpliically five or six degrees 

 farther soiitli than the northern limits of its range in Europe, and 

 as the cHmatic conditions of New York are not very nnhke those 

 of France this beneficial insect can doubtless maintain itself in this 

 country indefinitelv, now that it has become well established. 



A Similar Importation into Pennsylvania. 



This common European Praying Mantis is not the first member 

 of this interesting family of insects to be brought into this country 

 from foreio-n lands and to have established itself here. 



Tliree or four years ago a specimen or two of a large Mantid 

 were found in tlie nursery of Thomas Meehan & Sons at German- 

 town, Pa. More specimens were taken in succeeding years and in 

 1898 it was announced (Ent. News, IX, 111:) that the insect was a 

 nativ^e of China and Japan, and bore the scientific name of Teno- 

 dera siiiensis Saussure. As the Messrs. Meehan are constantly 

 receiving plants from all parts of the world, the insect was doubt- 

 less introduced in the egg-state through this channel. Last year it 

 was reported that there was no doubt that this large Oriental Mantid 

 liad gained a firm foothold in Meehan's nursery and was well estab- 

 lished there. 



Some Superstitions About Praying Mantes. 



Writing of one of these insects in the 16th century, Mouffet 

 says : " So divine a creature is this esteemed, that if a childe aske 

 tlie way to such a place, she will stretch out one of her feet, and 

 shew him the right way, and seldome or never misse." A Mrs. 

 Taylor gives a most interesting account (Harper's New Month. 

 Mag., xxiv, 191, 2) of a Mantid which she petted and named 

 '• Queen Bess." This Mantid was fastened to the bedpost by a silk 

 tliread and at night it would capture all mosquitoes which ventured 

 near. Mrs. Taylor states that she was not naturally a superstitious 

 wojnan, but some of the experiences she relates when she tested 

 Queen Bess's prophetic capacity soon led her to obey the insect 

 implicitly. She says she " never in one single instance knew her 

 to refuse her opinion, and I never knew it to be wrong in whatever 

 way she announced it." This Mantid disapproved by hanging her 



