Praying Mantis

March 24, 2026

Sample information
Picture
Entry by: Armando E.
Location
Collection date 11/05/2025
Captive / Cultivated? Wild-caught
Group Coalinga High School
Observations

Putative identification Arthropoda Insecta Mantodea Mantidae

Methods
Extraction kit DNeasy (Qiagen)
DNA extraction location Partial abdomen
Single or Duplex PCR Single Reaction
Gel electrophoresis system MiniOne
Buffer TBE
DNA stain GelGreen
Gel images
Protocol notes

DNA Extraction: We cut the abdomen of the Mantis open to remove its insides. We crushed the innards and did not include any exoskeleton

Gel Electrophoresis lanes for C01 Arthropod PCR:

  1. Our DNA ladder
  2. Praying mantis DNA – negative
  3. Bee DNA – negative
  4. Postive arthropod control – negative
  5. Negative arthropod control – postive
  6.  DNA control – Postive
  7. Water sample – negative

Analysis: The controls are different from the expected, and we believe that  it might have been from a mix-up of the vials holding the DNA. If we assume that then the rest of the result seem to have no contamination or issues. Looking at our results after that, we can assume that neither of our sample, including the Praying Mantis had Wolbachia.

Results
Wolbachia presence No
Confidence level Medium
Explanation of confidence level

We don’t believe that any contamination happened in our experiment but since we do have a mistake in our results it makes us have some doubt about how confident we are in the conclusions we came up with
Wolbachia 16S sequence
Arthropod COI sequence
Summary The Mantidae was found to be negative for Wolbachia.
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