Monday, October 24, 2011

Praying (and Playing) with a Mantis




So, today, I am busy at home, after working 4 hours at the office, and trying to get a newsletter done, when John comes in the house and tells me to "Hurry, come out here and see this BUG!"
He sounded like it was something really cool to see, so I grabbed my camera as I went out on the back deck ... it was a praying mantis, a pretty cool and unique bug!

I hadn't seen one close up and personal before, so I decided to take more photos of it. John had long ago left to go back to work, but not me, I played on with the mantis ... loved how it followed my every move, .. it's head moving back and forth, up and down as I pointed the camera at it ... just a foot or so away... then suddenly, IT JUMPED AT ME!! *L*





You could have heard my scream a few houses away even... stupid bug! Hahaa ... it didn't hurt me, just startled me, and made me laugh as I tried to follow it as it ran off.

Good thing it wasn't one of those giant ones.... read THIS! EEK.. *L*
"Mantises are exclusively predatory. Insects form the primary diet, but larger species have been known to prey on small scorpions, lizards, frogs, birds, snakes, fish, and even rodents; they will prey upon any species small enough to successfully capture and devour. Most species of mantis are known to engage in cannibalism. The majority of mantises are ambush predators, waiting for prey to stray too near. The mantis then lashes out at remarkable speed. Some ground and bark species, however, pursue their prey."

I should have tried to catch it again and put it in a bug house for the grandsons to take to school! Ahhh well... maybe it will come around again sometime?

Until then... back to the November Newsletter, and a chapter to read for Book Club tonite too!

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