Eew! A bug!!!

That's what Lionel said when he went to open the gate to our backyard. He was all creeped out when he put his hand only inches from it as he reached for the handle.

"What is it?" he yelled!
Being the nice comforting mom that I am, I just stood there and giggled.

"It's a Praying Mantis" I said.

"A what?!?"

Obviously we need to pull out the old books and review the section on insects. Neither of my children like bugs. I think they're SO cool, but I don't like to touch them. I always think back to the Brady Bunch when Marcia was in love with Harvy Klinger...remember him? He was the nerdy kid who loved bugs. Well, I'm not THAT bad, but I do think they're fun to look at and study.

So, before I shoo'd off the 'bug', I asked Lionel to run and grab my camera. Here's the little guy...cute huh?



He looks like a green bean with legs! Gotta love his beady little eyes huh?

Don't know much about the Praying Mantis? Here are some fun facts:

• They are carnivores! They eat all sorts of bugs AND small animals!!
• They can turn their heads 180 degrees to see all around them.
• There are 2 compound eyes and 3 simple eyes on a Praying Mantis!!
• They lie in ambush and stalk their prey...isn't there a law against that?
• Their ears are on the underside of their thorax.
• Close relatives to the Praying Mantis are the Cockroaches. Eeew!
• Most live only 6 months or so, but the longest they live, is up to one year.
• Their forelegs have sharp spines on them to grab their prey.
• They do bite, but they cannot harm humans.
• They like to eat each other...the female generally eats the head off of the male while they're mating and then finishes him off when they're done. No comment!
• Praying Mantis eggs usually hold up to 200 babies.
  
• The plural form of Mantis is Mantid.
• Some Mantids can fly and you may find them on your house lights between August and September.

Did you learn anything new? I sure did. They're fascinating creatures and are extremely useful in your gardens. Can you believe that Lionel was telling me to kill the poor little guy?!? Gasp! Fortunately we were on our way out to visit my Dad, so as Lionel got in the car, I put the Mantis in the bushes. He would then have time to escape before we returned! I'd kill a spider - no problem, but this guy? No way!