As many of you know, we hatched a praying mantis egg sac this spring, and released the tiny mantises into the garden. For a few days we could see the tiny insects on the leaves, and then we saw fewer and fewer until nothing. I figured some were bird food, but that some must have made it and be getting pretty big by now.
Today I was watering and saw a movement on a leaf and sure enough, there was a large green praying mantis! The boys were SO EXCITED to see one this big - it is over 4" long, and would turn its head to look right at us as we bent in to see. We got to watch as it stalked and lurched at a giant brown grasshopper. Wow. The boys went back out to look over and over and over again today. I know what we'll be doing tomorrow!
it's crazy watching them eat... like they're enjoying some corn on the cob! How great that some of them hung out in your garden~ I think we may have to do this project.
ReplyDeletewhat a photo...AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great great picture!!If I were you I would enlarge that and put it in my wall!! It is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteHugs Fern
Cool photo, Denise! They are fascinating creatures!
ReplyDeleteThat is so great for the boys. Glas you spotted one. I wonder how many survived?
ReplyDeleteWow, what a beauty! How cool.
ReplyDeleteAren't they the coolest things! It's so fun to watch them.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see them in action!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a shot! Aren't they fun to watch. We've seen them in our old garden on rare occasions but have never tried hatching them, that sounds like a fun project.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! The other day my eagle-eyed son spotted a small mantis in the grass as we walked home from our parking spot. I don't know how he does that!
ReplyDeleteone of my fondest bug memories of childhood was stumbling across a praying mantis on the street on my way home from school. They are magnificent insects, thanks for documenting!
ReplyDeleteFantastic! They are such cool insects! Love the new header...
ReplyDelete:)