I know what you mean, Ann. Sometimes they make me a little nervous when they turn their heads and watch me move around the garden...

Ann, do you have any Wheeler bugs/assassin bugs around there? They can be a little creepy too.

It's so funny to me how all the creatures know when and where we are all the time, even if we are clueless to them being around.

So true Christine about the creatures knowing when & where we are! Yes, we get assassin bugs but for some reason they just don't creep me out like mantids. I can easily ignore the assassins but not the mantids. Funny how we each have our little phobias. Spiders don't bother me a bit yet I know many people who can't even look at a photo of spiders. They only bother me when I get web stringing all over me - it feels like loose hairs tickling me. So during "spider season" as I call it, when they seem to have strung webs simply everywhere, I walk around with a long stick which I wave up & down in front of me to break the webs before I pass through.

I do that too.

Oh, and back to the praying (preying) mantis... before the tongs incident there was a praying mantis hanging out on the trellis where I hang a hummingbird feeder and I asked my hubby to get it off for me - when he grabbed it, it pulled its arms (or spiked raptorial forelegs) up over and behind its head and grabbed ahold of dh's hand, then it proceeded to turn its head around and bite him!!!!

Sooooo, when it was hanging upside down on the feeder, hubby declined to get it for me and I went and got the tongs.

YIKES!!!!!!!!! Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I like the tongs idea!!!!!! I think that's brilliant!!!!!!!

See, that's what's so spooky about them. Turn it's head around & bite him. Oh my! Of course, I realize it was only defending itself & saw your hubs as a big, bad beast that no doubt intended preying mantis for his dinner but it's just creepy. I bet that hurts when they bite.

Mantids do look fierce, but they have they role in the ecosystem..and if they do bite, it is in defense. They are such passive yet aggressive insects as needed..prefer them than the aphids anytime.

Yes, Tarev, they are good to have in the garden. But, I also understand the creepy factor.

All beneficial bugs are welcome in my garden. But I will move them if they try and get my hummingbirds! Love my hummingbirds.

wildflowers said:Yes, Tarev, they are good to have in the garden. But, I also understand the creepy factor.

All beneficial bugs are welcome in my garden. But I will move them if they try and get my hummingbirds! Love my hummingbirds.

My sentiments exactly!

mantis' today

Pretty lily in that last photo J. Do I really see yellow spots in the throat there? Nice.

I think that was resultant from pollen being washed by rains last night.

jmorth said:I think that was resultant from pollen being washed by rains last night.

Ah.

Forgot the grasshopper today...

and the ant...

Mantis' all over the place; they must be experiencing a population explosion in the garden.
Two mini mantis' were on Sunny Salawesi (dwarf lily in pot) blooms -






On Rudbeckia


On Cancun


An older (brown) mantis on lily

Geez, I think your garden runneth over with Mantids.

Nice cute mantids jmorth!

mantis today - on daylily pod


Iridescent flies


Katydid?

I would say Katydid & I think they are very cool.

Good morning!