Springing into April brings the cycle of life suddenly before your eyes!! Observation is an extremely vital element this month. Our outdoor detectives have witnessed the hatching of Praying Mantis in our green house.

Praying Mantis are beautiful insects that have a huge appetite. They help to control insect pests in an organic way. Praying Mantis are strictly carnivorous and feed on almost any insect that they can overcome.

We attached two egg cases in our greenhouse above some plants. When hatching occurs, the babies will crawl out through tiny flaps in the egg case and suspend themselves from silky threads. After a few hours, the long legged young will dry out and disperse, leaving little to no evidence of their appearance.

Ladybugs have also been released into our greenhouse to protect the fruits and vegetables from harmful insects. Ladybugs love to eat aphids, mealy bugs, spider mites, thrips and other soft body insects. Our backyard detectives had so much fun releasing over three thousand ladybugs into our outdoor classroom.

The children have come back in full bloom from spring break!! Just look at them getting back into their work cycle.

Remember learning is endless!!

Love Ms. Val & Ms. Kim