Saved a praying mantis!!

[~flower~]

So I thought it was illegal to kill praying mantis' (I just looked it up it's not) and when I went to my car there was one next to it.  Doesn't he go under my car!!  So I am like "shit, what if I run him over?" so I look and he is going for my tire!!  I guess he liked the tire because he climbed up on it (he's on the inside underneath the car) and I go "dude get off my tire!"  he obviously didn't care because he climbed up onto the metal stuff that you put the tire on and was just sitting there. I really don't like insects so taking him off was not an option, yet I didn't want to just drive off knowing he would either get killed in the wheel or fall off.  He went to the outside of the tire on the rims and sat there, but then he headed back to the other side.

 So I get a snow brush out and I think maybe I can "poke" him off.  But his weird alien head was freaking me out!!    (at this point I am thinking I could really use Stark's help  )  This goes on for a few minutes with me trying to get him off (I had a longer roll of wrapping paper I tried too) and then he like disappeared.  Shit!! I get under the car, can't see him, looking from all sides, nope, what am I going to have to sit there all night!?  Then "plop" he was on the pavement again.  Now I need him to get out from under the car.  So I kind of "herded" him along with the roll of wrapping paper (I had hoped he would of climbed on and I could of taken him to the grass but he wouldn't, I figured that the roll was long enough that if he started heading for my arm I could get to the grass before he made it!).  Once he was out from under the car I quickly backed up before he decided to inspect all my tires.  Then got a pic of him on the pavement. 

 I have had the heebie jeebies, creepy crawlies every since!!   

[Butterbean]

hehehe good story and pictures...this is the kind of thing that keeps people coming back to the Pet Board time and time again 

 I have had the heebie jeebies, creepy crawlies every since!!  [/color] 

Maybe this pic will help calm you:

[knny187]

Cats like bugs...get a cat

[Al-Gebra]

flower, it's an insect for crying out loud.  you could drive on a freeway paved w them and not put a dent in their numbers.

[~flower~]

Maybe this pic will help calm you:

yellow fungi penis'!!!    

flower, it's an insect for crying out loud.  you could drive on a freeway paved w them and not put a dent in their numbers.

I don't know about you but that is the SECOND praying mantis I have ever seen in my life.  And I know they are a good insect.   I couldn't just drive off knowing he was hanging on.  I didn't think he was a "gamer" like Beach Bum's gecko.   

[Princess L]

I don't think I would've known that's what it was.  Kinda looks like one of those big grasshoppers 



Don't the females bite the head off the males during sex? 

[Al-Gebra]

Don't the females bite the head off the males during sex? 

yes.

[~flower~]

Don't the females bite the head off the males during sex? 

Yes, which is the other reason I saved "it".  If a she, well then "you go girl!" and if it was a he, then "his head is teh crunchy"!  lol    It was small so I don't think it had a chance to fulfill it's destiny.    

[emn1964]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that saves these bugs!  Whenever I see one I do what I can to make sure its safe.  They are great pest control devices.

[Vet]

Yes, which is the other reason I saved "it".  If a she, well then "you go girl!" and if it was a he, then "his head is teh crunchy"!  lol    It was small so I don't think it had a chance to fulfill it's destiny.    

Praying mantises are cool.  Its been years since I kept them as pets.  Praying Mantids (Mantises) are actually on the endangered species lists in some parts of the world due to habitat distruction and indescrimenant pesticide use.   None of the North American species are threatened as far as I know.

The pictures werent the best (I need some sort of a size reference to be certian), but that looks to be a female.  The males are smaller.  Also, this one looks to have wings, which means for most species she's gone through her final molt, has bred or is in the process of breeding and her time is limited.  Typical life span is about 12-14 months, although I've seen reports of them living in captivity for up to 18 months or longer.  With winter coming up north, she's not got long.  

[SinCitysmallGUY]

Praying mantises are cool.  Its been years since I kept them as pets.  Praying Mantids (Mantises) are actually on the endangered species lists in some parts of the world due to habitat distruction and indescrimenant pesticide use.   None of the North American species are threatened as far as I know.

The pictures werent the best (I need some sort of a size reference to be certian), but that looks to be a female.  The males are smaller.  Also, this one looks to have wings, which means for most species she's gone through her final molt, has bred or is in the process of breeding and her time is limited.  Typical life span is about 12-14 months, although I've seen reports of them living in captivity for up to 18 months or longer.  With winter coming up north, she's not got long.  

Very true.. I always find them in my plants out front.. When I do find one I let them hang out on my shoulder until I am finished watering the plants.. Dont want them to get beat up by the flow of the hose.. Then I put them on my rose bush.. I had about 4 this year that chilled the whole year..

I used to love making homes for them in jars when I was a kid and keeping them 6 months or so and then letting them go.. I usually had at least two every winter..

[~flower~]

It was a cell phone so pics were 

 It did seem on it's last legs.   When I was herding it along at one point it fell over and I was being really gentle I thought.   

 I thought "it" was small, but maybe my impression of them was that they were bigger than they actually are.