Em found a wee bunch of praying mantis on the pine over the weekend. Not larger than an inch, these little guys were tough to see, but 'ol Eagle Eyes Em found them. And even though they were so little, they were still very menacing looking.
What struck us odd was how many of these there were on the bush. Praying mantis are notorious for eating their siblings until only one lone survivor is left. These are vicious creatures and these little ones were no exception--as we stood there, one mantis was giving us "the eye" and we all stood back. We weren't taking any chances on getting eaten ourselves.
This is what I love about my family--the mere sighting of a teeny bug in the front yard sends the family running to come see. Okay, so the neighbors were probably wondering what the heck we were all yapping about and pointing at, but this is big stuff at our house.
Yep, we are officially losers. And easily entertained ones at that.
23 comments:
I think they are skerry, too. They remind me of little green aliens.
Years ago, one of the fourth graders brought an ootheca to school and placed it on a table in the classroom. Imagine the teacher's surprise the morning she came in and found her room infested with several hundred teeny mantises!
(I need to see my optometrist.)
If that makes you a loser, I want to be a loser too. Nor would I want to be anything else.
Not losers, but the best kind of winners. No one takes the time to appreciate the outside anymore. So since your kids love it, that makes you the official winner:)
Daisy is so right. Never thought about that before, but they do look like little aliens. It is unusual to see the preying mantis so you are not official losers. Just interested.
I found him!
I think, sitting in a pine tree praying sounds like a nice, calming, relaxing idea.
If I only had a pine tree.
If I onl weighed enough not to break the whole dam pine tree sitting on a branch praying. LOL
It's the one bug I like. We had a hatch in our first house in NJ. Little mantis' everywhere. Hundreds of them. Teeny tiny little green things running around.
Later came the lady bugs. Aaaaah life in a salt marsh
I thought it was gonna be a teeny frog. I practically JUMPED back from my computer when I saw that thing FIRST THING IN THE MORNING! This better not be a bad omen. I forgive you though. BUT only because so many of my days have started off better thanks to a pic of Hobbes. You better have a picture of cupcakes or something tomorrow!
Ooohh...I saw it!!! He is soooo cute!!! ;)
Losers?! And here I am, STILL fretting about the absolute lack of crickets and peepers in my yard... I even asked folks on Twitter if they are experiencing the same phenomenon. No response. :-p I guess the world of dumb politics and celebrities is too important!
Wow. I haven't seen a mantis in ages. We haven't even had any cricket sounds at night yet.
I think it's awesome! I would have been watching for a long time too. What a cool find!
I think it's awesome! I would have been watching for a long time too. What a cool find!
Ah, who cares what the neighbors think!!!
I didn't see the praying mantis until I clicked on the photo...how wonderful to see them! I am impressed anyone spotted them!
I see it! Menacing? You bet. I think I once blogged about how my cat Stinky (RIP) found one on the patio and when I finally saw what she was looking at (it was dusk and hard to see), I freaked. I picked her up to run back into the house and I KID YOU NOT -- that thing ran after us!!!
I was seriously scared it was going to latch onto me and then I'd have to be hospitalized from the heart attack. OMG. Just thinking about that again has me in a tizzy. I feel weak. Ugh.
What a sweet little guy. I've only seen one at a time and usually bigger. Good for Em for enjoying him. I'm so glad for our camping days where we could stop and enjoy moments like this. Phyl
If you think you are a loser for checking the bug out in your yard, what are we for biggifying photos to see little praying mantises on a blog? I say we are all just trying to get educated on nature! :)
If your family called everyone over to look at a pile of crap, then I'd have to worry. Then again, maybe I'd just cheer :)
wonderful! i once found a 'pile' of little ones about 1/2 inch long on our porch rail. they were madly scrambling all over each other.
loser schmooser. You just know how to see the fun in whatever is out there. Being easily entertained is a good thing
Daisy--They look directly at you--like they are gonna eat you!! EEEK!
Vanilla--Dead center of the photo--look again. Oh--I would imagine that would be SCARY!! Could you even catch them all?
Chuck--:) Oh good, I'll be in good company.
Nancy--I'm glad that the kids like the little stuff in life too. I think that makes you enjoy life so much more. Loved your post today. :)
Marg--We usually find one at the end of summer, but I have never seen the little ones before. It was quite a find. I like cool stuff like that--but some people think I'm goofy for liking it.
Jodi--They were on our mugo pine--which is a low pine bush. It was amazing how they blended in with the plant so well. I'd break a branch too. Sigh.
Pricilla--There are some really cool bugs out there--you just have to take the time to appreciate them. I like these and katydid's especially.
peewee--I'll post Hobbes tomorrow, pally. Didn't you think the bug was cool????
A.Marie--He was cute until he looked right at us--like he was gonna eat us!!! EEEEK!
Rebecca--There are years when some bugs are more prevalent than others. This year, we are overrun with rabbits for some reason. I like when we get grasshoppers--we haven't had that in some time. Maybe the crickets and the peepers are in an "off" year.
Mary Ann--I think it has to get really warm for crickets, right? I think my frogs eat all our crickets.
Violet--I've never seen so many of them. It was really something to see. Usually we just see one big one at the end of summer. They are such a cool bug.
Tracy--I can't believe Emma found them! They were really tiny and they blended in with pine needles so well. Score for Em!
Kathy--Those bugs do NOT back down! They scare me how they turn their head to look at you--they show NO fear!! EEEK!
G'ma Phyl--Oh, these guys aren't sweet, but they are cool. I don't remember having these around as kids, but we get a lot now for some reason.
Beaded Tail--Hahaha! Well, I guess we are like a loser club then! I like finding cool stuff though--so I say that those who don't like it are missing out. There are amazing things right in our own backyard.
Nelly--Oh, we get excited over bees who drill into our boards and katydids who click away on summer nights. I think there are amazing creatures all around us (and in our hair) that we need to pay attention to.
Sharkey--I hear they eat each other. Is that true? I didn't want to stick around to find out.
Ann--I think so too. I'm always amazed that people don't take the time for the little stuff.
I think it's nice you get such pleasure from the simple things; nothing wrong with that.
What you should love about your family is that nobody has the desire to eat one another. Sheesh, what a bug. Great shot, I found him!
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