Yesterday reader/photographer Al Denelsbeck sent me this picture with the caption:
The pic is from yesterday, after a horrendous deluge cleared. We’d had a mantis hatching in an azalea bush by our porch a few weeks ago, and I’ve been following the little guys regularly.
(Click to enlarge.)
I raised ‘Chinese mantids’ from eggs last summer. Moving up from feeding them fruit flies when they were little babies, to grasshoppers when they were big adults, about as long as my hand. Pretty challenging, but fun. I always loved it when they would turn their heads to look right at me.
That must’ve been labour intensive but really interesting. I love mantids & watch their egg sacs they attach to different parts of my house.
What a beautiful shot. I love these creatures
What a great picture!
Expression on its face–priceless! 😀