A RARE SIGHTING

I haven't seen a praying mantis for quite a while. Spotted this one while weed whacking the fence row. Also spotted what I believe was a small milk snake while mowing, but he made a get away before I could get a picture of him.

Nice picture,,thats the first one I have seen in awhile also. Common snakes are no longer common,, :wink:
I've only seen a couple of garter snakes over the past few years. My wife however seen a milk snake that her niece found and then let go earlier this year, I did however see a picture of it!
Terry

I have them on my property. I watch for them as I mow etc. Great critters to have around.

Great picture, those are some interesting little critters to watch!

Interesting insects to watch stalking.

Great photo. I have had them around my place for years. This year however they don't seem to be to prevalent. I wonder if the long very cold winter messed up their reproductive cycle. Heard just the other day that they are the only insect that sees in 3D. Haven't seen any snakes this summer but know there is at least one around. Found a really big shed skin in the back yard.

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The only snakes around here have two legs, and they prey.

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Fox Mike said:

Great photo. I have had them around my place for years. This year however they don't seem to be to prevalent. I wonder if the long very cold winter messed up their reproductive cycle. Heard just the other day that they are the only insect that sees in 3D. Haven't seen any snakes this summer but know there is at least one around. Found a really big shed skin in the back yard.

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I've seen one this year when I usually see them a lot. The cold weather didn't bother the bagworms though on some junipers that I never got around to spraying because of the rain.

Cool picture. I will see them every once and a while by me.

Used to see a lot of Walking Sticks here, but it's been some years since I have seen one of those.

WendyZXZ said:

Great picture, those are some interesting little critters to watch!

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Kind of spooky little guys the way they swivel their heads around to watch you. The only bug I know that I get the feeling he's looking at me and thinking something.

I had one in my school bus last year, i put the little bugger in a tree, its the first one i saw in twenty plus years. cool photo.

As kids we'd sometimes have 25-cent mice for pets .. take em to school to terrorize the girls, etc. One day I decided to feed a praying mantis to mine. I nonchalantly dropped him in the mouse cage and waited for the action. I was a bit surprised when he opened a can of whup-ass on that poor mouse; had that mouse backed into a corner in ten seconds flat. I had to rescue the little feller from that demon.

caryc said:

The only bug I know that I get the feeling he's looking at me and thinking something.

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Hi,

To borrow from Mikey in Look Who's Talking: "Mmmm, lunch!"

Rick C

Found one on the picnic table in the backyard, the kids were all gathered around it and it crawled up on our 3 year olds hand. You'd have thought the world just ended! She froze as solid as ice and screamed bloody murder! Was able to safely remove the beautiful little bug to a safer place. I just showed her the pic and she screamed again! I have some teaching ahead......

LarryH said:

Found one on the picnic table in the backyard, the kids were all gathered around it and it crawled up on our 3 year olds hand. You'd have thought the world just ended! She froze as solid as ice and screamed bloody murder! Was able to safely remove the beautiful little bug to a safer place. I just showed her the pic and she screamed again! I have some teaching ahead......

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As I said...they are spooky looking critters :mrgreen: