Tuesday 9 March 2010

Very Pregnant Praying Mantis?

I’m no authority on the subject of Praying Mantises but this one looks extremely pregnant to me.  She – I’m assuming that if I’m correct and it is pregnant that it’s a ‘she’ – was struggling to get any speed up at all and I’d have been a bit concerned if she’s tried to climb up some of the places that they do inhabit under the eaves.  She decided to climb up Fraser’s leg.  Now Fraser is not known for his squeamishness or fear of insects but he said that having the mantis climbing up his leg was a decidedly odd experience and one he’d rather not repeat.  He was good enough, though, to keep it there whilst I finished photographing it.  One of the wing casings was, I noticed, damaged.  I wonder how that happened?

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3 comments:

  1. Just a little fun fact for Fraser, praying mantis have two large compound eyes and three other simple eyes located between them.
    All the better to see you with. :)

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  2. Oh my ... what IS this ... Had to look it up, I've never seen one. One thing I can say for sure, I'd never have been able to just sit still and let it crawl up my leg! (laughing)

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  3. Wow! VERY interesting...I don't think that I would have been able to let it crawl up my leg...maybe my hand. Poor little wing. She needs a break!

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