Holy Moly! A praying mantis. In my garden. I've never seen one here. Nor anywhere else in this damp coastal area.
Preferring dry, warm to hot weather, there were hoards of these in my Sacramento Valley garden. They're wonderful to have around because they eat so many bugs that are harmful to plants.
There is a downside to having too many praying mantids: they have voracious appetites and will eat just about anything they can get there "hands" on, including beneficial insects and the occasional small bird. Click on this link for just such a documentation but, I warn you, it's not for the faint of heart.
Me, I'm rejoicing in the fact that one of them has found my garden.
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4 comments:
Wow! That's a great shot. I have not seen one of these creatures since I was a kid.
A small bird???
I'm too much of a faint-hearted chicken to click on the link, so I'll have to take your word for it.
I used to think they were so cool, but now I seem to remember scary old science fiction movies where they feature prominently.
It has to(can be) attributed to GLOBAL WARMING.....(smiley face goes here)
Best to you and yours...
Bill in Winters
We used to find them on our Christmas tree when we lived in a warmer climate and they bred like wild fire.
Anne
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