# So tempting...



## Needlenose (Sep 17, 2010)

When I went out to get the mail this afternoon I found a praying mantis on the mail box. Since out side bugs can carry a slew of parasites, pesticides and other gross stuff. (Plus, aren't praying mantis endangered?) I left him alone. But it was sorely tempting to bring him in to see what he and Widget would do with each other. :lol: 

Your Praying Mantis style is no match for my Hedgehog style! High- Keeba! :mrgreen:


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I'm glad you left him. I have a soft spot for Praying Mantis. Don't know why. Maybe because they look so alien. Maybe because my husband does a great Manits impression. Maybe because they eat the male after mating... who knows!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

PJM said:


> I'm glad you left him. I have a soft spot for Praying Mantis. Don't know why. Maybe because they look so alien. Maybe because my husband does a great Manits impression. Maybe because they eat the male after mating... who knows!


I second this, I think pray mantises are absolutely adorable! Also :lol: at your last comment.


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## Needlenose (Sep 17, 2010)

Poor mantis...it must suck to know that after you find a girl friend, your head will be nomed. 

After watching the news report I felt kind of bad that I didn't move him. We've got a frost warning in effect for the area.  You think if I put him in Widget's cage they would have snuggled up under the blanket for the night?  Oh well, hopefully he at least crawls into the mail box for the night.


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

insects freak me out SO MUCH and praying mantises freak me out even more. they always have.


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## Jaimie (Sep 27, 2009)

When I was in Pakistan there was a HUGE mantis and it boxed with us....It was larger than the ones we have in Canada and he got real mad cause we were all checking him out and touching him, we took pics of him on one of the guys shoulders with his dukes up ready for a round. It was soooo funny!


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I love praying mantis as well as walking sticks. They are so fascinating to watch. We used to have lots of them around here but now it's rare to see one.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Praying mantis are also voracious insect eaters. I had one of them and a soldier bug in my monarch garden this summer. While I ended up successfully raising and releasing 72 butterflies this year (50 of them tagged), I would have had so many more as I found these two guys eating lots of my caterpillars. While I disliked them for killing the monarchs, they were doing their job at keeping all the rest of the insects off of my plants too.


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## Jaimie (Sep 27, 2009)

Nancy I lived in Kingston for a couple years back in 2002 and 03 and only seen a few mantis there....We have a bunch here in Pet but more in the bush area than around our houses. I'll collect some for you next summer and bring them down to Kingston when I come visit some friends and maybe you can repopulate them there!!!!


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## MomLady (Aug 14, 2010)

I had one as a pet for awhile (about 15 years ago!!) I fed it cat food :lol: and water thru an eye dropper.

She was missing part of one of her legs, but she still could move pretty fast. 

She died around the middle of November. 

I guess I like weird pets.

Donna


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

I know the temptation feeling, I would love to gather outdoor insects for my critters. But...I don't want to be that one person that loses an animal because of the pesticide risk. My neighbor's yard is REALLY lush and pretty, I'm thinkin' they may use pesticides. (that's my own jealous observation hahahaa)


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I love them too  I was so happy because I got to see one of them yesterday on my front door.


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