The year before last, my bog garden attracted a single, plump female mantis. The next spring had hundreds of mantis babies everywhere. When they first hatched, I would find at least three on every plant for months. Fingers crossed that some hung around long enough to breed, if so they should be showing up soon.
@tippitiwichet when you say bog garden, may I ask if it has standing water or you just water very often?
I have never been able to keep that range of plant alive, invariably they dry or mold.
@Curiousfoolish It's more of how I think of it, it's the corner of my porch garden where I keep them together on the same shelf, and I have to simply water frequently. I tried to do a little pond, but the dogs and 6yr old loved messing with it way too much, it wasn't worth the struggle to keep the plants safe. So, it's a bog garden in my heart, lol. And I've certainly lost quite a few plants, it's only stubbornness that keeps me at it :).
@tippitiwichet I’m just the other side of that fence, I do well with small ponds but the nearby plants rarely make it.
I am tempted to kill another pitcher plant now, slowly I hope.
@Curiousfoolish I'd recommend the Judith Hindle variety, or purple pitcher plants. Of course every grower will vary in their habits, but they seem more forgiving than most of my pitchers. I would have lost my entire collection by now if I hadn't bought them bare root and immediately took a rhizome cutting as backup after purchasing. The backups stay indoors under lights.