Why is it that little boys are so fascinated with plants and bugs that eat bugs? When I was young I was enthralled with Venus Flytraps (I even bought one once, and was very disappointed that it didn't "catch" any flies - even when I caught one and dropped it in its "mouth").
I was also fascinated with ladybugs, and even more so with Praying Mantises.
The Praying Mantis is an interesting insect. It has 5 eyes. The two large compound, prominent ones, and 3 "simple" eyes between them (you can make them out in the head shot. It can turn its' head 180 degrees and most commonly eats flies, moths, crickets, grasshoppers, etc.
The Praying Mantis catches its prey with its front legs, striking so quick that it really can't be seen with the naked eye. Their legs have spikes that assist in capturing their prey help enable them to turn their food (like eating corn on the cob:)).
During one of my filming trips to Yosemite Valley last year I spotted a praying mantis while shooting in one of the meadows. I desperately wanted to film the mantis for my DVD, but he/she was just too quick.
However, last week I found a mantis not far from my house, and took a few shots. They weren't around when I was growing up, but I see them every once in a while now. I had purchased a few mantis egg cases and put them in my garden in the mid '70's. Surely the population of mantises we have around here didn't all come from those few egg cases, did they?
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