Praying Mantis

Lisa · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 12:16 am Post subject: Praying Mantis

One of my favorite bugs. They are just so cool looking. The way they regard you with tilted head, their pupils following your movement, makes me wonder if they're functioning on a much higher level than we give them credit for! This one quickly acclimated to Phoebe's arm, grooming his limbs and perching peacefully until she carried him to a tree trunk and let him go.

away36 · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 12:36 am Post subject:

Lisa, you just gave me the most wonderful flashbacks from when my youngest son Andrew was Phoebe's age! I can't tell you how many times he brought those things home. Andrew was fascinated with bugs of all kinds and I was always astounded at how much he knew about each one. He would bring a praying mantis into the kitchen and put it on my kitchen curtain telling me..."Now...we'll never have flies in the kitchen!" The creepy part was when he'd put a male and a female in his bug catcher box and once they'd mated, the female would bite the male's head off. Gag. Like you, I always marvelled at the way they turned their heads to look at us. Fascinating insect

_________________
There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.

Albert Schweitzer

Lisa · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:05 am Post subject:

I've never understood why the females kill their mates... as do the black widow spider and probably several other creatures I'm not aware of.... anybody know why they do this?
_________________
"The brain is easily the least intelligent organ in the body." -- Dave Barry

Tools · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:26 am Post subject:

Sometimes it just feels like death.......
_________________

...............

ColinB · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 7:52 am Post subject:

Cool photos Lisa!

We don't get them over here (only in zoos etc) so nice to see.
_________________
"Why is the Rum always gone?"

#100

uncle aj · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:29 am Post subject:

We get them here but they are bright green. They also come in all sizes from big, like your picture to small that can hide behind leaves etc.
_________________
I'd feel lost without my GPS
Uncle AJ's, an equal opportunity dictatorship.
It wasn't a dress!!

away36 · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:18 am Post subject:

Lisa · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:58 am Post subject:

ARTTAY10 · Junior member Status: Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 12

ARTTAY10 · Junior member Status: Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 12

Lisa · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 10:44 pm Post subject:

Tools · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:28 pm Post subject:

They love eating aphids so we find them around the rose bushes quite often.. I almost hate to spray for fear of harming them..

Of course, in the bug world I suspect that they're kind of like having the grim reaper around, or something out of Freddy's Nightmare.

Maybe I shouldn't think about this too much....................

_________________

...............

Lion · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:48 pm Post subject:

uncle aj · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 2:26 am Post subject:

Letsgodiving · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 10:15 pm Post subject:

Sure they're cool unless you are on the menu.

Cool pics Lisa.