The Yard is Alive

Praying Mantis in the Grass

It was the motion that attracted me.

I saw something moving through the grass and I had to look closer. At first I though it might just be the wind moving the blades, but on closer inspection it became clear that the movement I was seeing was not the wind.

It was a small, maybe an inch a half long praying mantis. 

It was incredibly difficult to get a good image of the bug. It was small and green, and there was a lot of green in my camera's field of view. Trying to snap an image where the praying mantis could be seen too time--and I was afraid that the bug would move along. As it turned out, the praying mantis seemed to enjoy the attention and posed for me on the blade of grass for quite a wile while I clumsily took its picture.

While researching the mantis clan, I discovered that they make good pets! Really! Well, not in my house. We have a definite "death to insects" policy. Spiders, which are not insects,  are generally relocated and not exterminated.

I wonder if praying mantises [Thanks, Dick] eat stink bugs?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD