Photo Perspective

K and V discovered a praying mantis on our window screen yesterday. Unlike our spider, this insect was actually inside the screen. After convincing V that we did not need to smack this bug with the fly swatter even though it was more than 4 inches long, we learned some things about this odd-looking creature with the help of our insect field guide and the internet.
- It is otherwise known as a Chinese mantid.
- It catches other insects with its front legs and holds them to its mouth to eat them. The large ones in the tropics have been known to eat tree frogs, mice, and hummingbirds.
- Its front legs are not poised to pray, but poised to prey. (we've been learning about homophones, too)
- It is one of the few insects that can turn its head, and it can turn its head a full 180 degrees.

We also learned by observation that they CAN FLY!! It took us by surprise at first when he flew off of my hand and past our heads towards the kitchen light. When we let him go outdoors after his photo session, he flew over our neighbors' house to a large pine tree on the other side.I thought the most interesting thing to watch him do was clean himself. He would put his "foot" in his "mouth" and then rub his eyes and head much like a cat would.

That was our hands-on (or maybe we should say on-hands) science lesson for the day.