Evening Prayers in My Garden

We've been taking advantage of the beautiful weather this evening to spend some time in the garden. Sara spotted a lovely praying mantis perched on the frangipani, which is also called plumeria.

Mantis are friends of the garden because they eat pests and other insects, while being harmless to humans. I'm always so happy when we find them in the garden.

Did you know.....

• The word "mantis" comes from the Greek word meaning prophet.

• Praying mantis eggs can be sold online and is popular among farmers who purchase them to control pests.

• One mantis species in Spain, Apteromantis aptera, is actually considered as endangered.

• The praying mantis is actually more closely related to the cockroach than to grasshoppers!

• It is believed that the female mantis will eat the male after mating since the protein helps in egg development. 

• The praying mantis has excellent eyesight and can see up to about 50 feet away.

• The praying mantis is the only insect that can rotate its alien-like head almost completely around! House flies can tilt their head slightly but not to this degree. This flexibility helps with their hunting.

• In French culture, the praying mantis can supposedly guide a lost child home.

• In China, roasted praying mantis eggs were eaten to treat bedwetting!

• The praying mantis is named for its prominent front legs, which are bent and held together at an angle that suggests the position of prayer. But it is often spelled preying mantis and is googled this way almost as often as the correct spelling.  Preying Mantis is in essence of the character of the insect and correctly describes its predatory nature.

I like to think that the mantis is really praying. And boy, oh boy we need a lot of prayers these days!

The war in Libya continues........ Keep praying for Libya!