As a child, I was frightened of them. With their prehistoric appearance, I suppose I feared being bitten after my grandfather warned me a mantis will bite. I still won't handle one, much preferring to get a broom to move them when necessary. The females don't seem to fly well and the males don't want to budge, so a ride on a broom to a safer location is sometimes necessary. We don't kill them as they are very beneficial to have in and around any sort of garden.
This fellow, or lady, has been hanging around, literally, on the patio screens all summer. Smart little bug that it is, it must know the screens provide easy meals. Flying insects hit the screens and get stuck. All he needs to do is amble over and grab his snack.
This morning I was treated to the praying mantis doing his peeping tom impression on the kitchen window screen. It was a helluva sight to behold before my morning coffee.
The Lady of Holly Tree Manor
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