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A wheat color mantid about 2-1/2", I need to know if there's something I should do. What can I do? He sure is good looking. Still on my steps since last night. was making unsuccessful attempts repeatedly to crawl up the wall next to steps, kept reaching out and touching around like a blind person securing their footing. Kept falling, so I finally put a box lid under to catch him and raised it up to the spider webs near the light. A moth caught his attention but seems he lost his balance or interest-half hearted pursuit. I put the box next to his original place and he made his way to it. He's still out there today 16 hrs later. I sprayed a very fine mist of water not directly at him but in the wind blowing his direction. He felt it but maybe startled him, he tried to fly off but only got less than 2 ft before landing. He isn't incapacitated (yet) and seems in good shape.We are in San Francisco Bay Area about 20 miles south of SF. I have a big jar about 12"h 5" dia. Should I get him? Thanks for being here.

It sounds like the mantis may be nearing the end of its life. But, you can force feed a mantis by gripping it behind its "upper shoulder area" and when it fights, put a piece of meat to its mouth with tweezers or with a toothpick. Once it bites the meat, or an insect such as a mealworm, and tastes it, it will probably grasp it and start eating. Also, mantises learn to drink water out of spoons once they taste the water in it. Mealworms can be bought at pet stores. and are easily raised in oatmeal with a sliver of apple in the oatmeal for moisture.