Good Creepy Crawleys

Song - There Ain't No Bugs On Me by Jerry Garcia & David Grisman

 

 Have you ever seen a brown Praying Mantis?  I had not until several days ago when this one walked by me near the pool.  At first I thought it was a leaf until he turned sideways.  Apparently the green ones are more prominent in California but the Mantis turn brown or green for the same purpose....camouflage on trees and plants. I asked Mr. B if he would kindly move him from the patio to the garden so he would not get stepped on.  Mr. P-man is now living very happily in the shade garden!

"If you think you are too small to make a difference, 

try going to bed with a mosquito."

--Dalai Lama

Praying

Song - Wishin' and Hopin' by Dusty Springfield

This morning I went out to the car to run some errands and who do you think I found?

I haven't seen a Praying Mantis in over 20 years.

Luckily I was putting some shopping bags in on the passenger side so I spotted him before driving away. They are considered beneficial insects as they like to dine on flies, crickets, moths and mosquitoes......and sometimes the female will eat her mate!!!

After this series of "head shots", I carefully moved her from the car to a nearby bush.



"Praying Mantis Folklore"

• In some parts of Africa, it is considered good luck if one of these curious creatures lands on you.

 --From the Farmers Almanac 1792

Warning - May Contain Graphic Content & Violence

Song - Lizard Love by Aerosmith (this song will wake you up in a hurry!)


Looking out the window of my office the other day, I spotted hundreds of little winged insects emerging from the ground in my vegetable garden.  There were birds flying overhead picking them out of the sky so I slipped on my sandals and grabbed my camera.

I am hoping they are flying ants NOT termites!

There were also about 8-10 small lizards who would sit on warm, sunny rocks and wait for these insects to land or fly near enough to gobble them up.

These are technically Western Fence Lizards but when I was a kid we called them Blue-Belly Lizards because.....

 How nice of him to strike a pose for me!



 

Our task must be to free ourselves...by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.   - Albert Einstein