Question
Hi,
   I have just ordered 8 Praying Mantis Egg Cases from eBay.  I want to rais some of them IN the house this time, because our growing season is to SHORT here, in ND to allow them to live long enough to lay new egg cases.
   First question: WILL they eat the "Bug Pro" product, avail at Gurney's Catalog, or do I have to get Fruit Flies?  The catalog says, Bug Pro provides protien beneficial insects need to reproduce when a natural insect diet in not avail.  Feeds Lady Bugs & Green Lacewings, helps them to become espablished."  It does not MENTION Praying Mantis,but the catalog does not SELL Mantis any longer.  I knoe they will eat ea other if they do not have food.
   I can get non-flying fruit flies, for $10 on line.  But I do not know how long the F. Flies will LAST.  Do you think I could keep the flies ALIVE long enough to get the Mantids BIG enough to eat regular House Flies, Box Elder Bugs, etc???  I would like to try to get about 20 or more egg cases for next year.
   NEXT Question:  Two years ago, I had a big garden.  I got ONE tomato plant from a certain greenhouse, & it had FUNGUS!  Spread it to everything in the GARDEN!  I sprayed & SPRAYED fingicide, but all it did was to slow it down a bit.  I was so depressed over this, that I had NO garden last year.
   I DO want one THIS year.  Please tell me, WHAT can I _DO_ to make sure that the same fungus is not still lurking in the weeds & grasses to attack THIS year's garden???  Will it have DIED OUT in 2 years?  Or will I have to BURN the area?  I live in the COUNTRY, in ND, alone.  I have little or no help from anyone.  The area is too FULL of weeds, grasses, etc, for me to dispose of them all.  In fact, at first, I try to keep weeds, etc, at bay, not just IN the garden, but AROUND it, as well.  But it is a losig battle!  I am soon too busy just keeping them out of the garden itself.
   We had some REALLY _COLD_ temps this past winter.  -45 to -48 below zero, with windchillat -75 to -85! Posibly the COLD will have killed it???  
   The THATCH everywhere else, on the property is too THICK to have a garden elsewhere.  I have tried to make a new place for one, but it was useless.   
   Thankyou for any help you can give.  
   Donna  

Answer
Hi Donna
for your Mantis situation, i would suguest consulting with your extention office so they can direct you to an entomologist, personaly i dont believe mantis belong in the home. your fungus is the result of something cultural
like excessive moisture or the lack of air flow. proper watering and spacing will eliminate that. if the plant had the disease when you brought it then it may be a bacteria and in that case no spray in the world will cure that. inspect before you buy.  Good Luck  Larry  ;-)