As Kimball and I were outside watering the potted plants on my front porch, I went to "deadhead" one of the spent geraniums, but almost "deadheaded" this praying mantis. (Aaack/shiver/shudder!) The little bug (and I say that tongue-in-cheek because it actually was a BIG bug close to the size of a Mickey Mantle baseball bat, if you really want to know) was in the process of eating his lunch which consisted of a yellow jacket bee, complete with head, eyeballs, wings, stinger, most everything one would normally request the chef to leave off of one's bee when lunching in polite company. It really was fascinatingly creepy, depending on your personal gross-out factor.
I could hardly wait for Christian to return home from school to photograph the image which will now and forever be seared into Kimball's brain probably causing nightmares, or more likely, a career in mounting insects on Styrofoam boards using little dressmaker pins. Unfortunately, Christian arrived after the bee luncheon was over, but Mr. Mantis did consent to posing for a few paparazzi body shots. Ah, I love having an in-house photographer--it is such a luxury.
Click to enlarge--you won't be sorry
Note the clarity, beauty, and detail of the disgusting barbs on the legs and antennae.
It also appears that the praying mantis took a liking to the pink flowers, for he then oh-so-carefully clutched a bit of one in his left paw/claw/talon thingy, probably hoping in desperation to mollify his wife with it since he ended up devouring her share of the bee. (Whoa boy, is he ever gonna pay . . .)
*You can lend your support to Christian by going here and clicking "Yes! I dig it." Gee, you guys are just the best!
4 comments:
I love your post, they are so creative! And yes, Kimball will most likely have nightmares, don't tell his mom! And for Christian, you are a talented photographer!
No wonder the mantis was praying! Just a moment of privacy please!
That is a great photo! I think Pray Mantis's are so neat to watch (in a disgusting sort of way).
Jordan and I voted! Aren't insects so cool sometimes??
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