Check out this bug...
 

I found him/her last night. Maybe 5 inches. I caught and released in the bushes (away from my front door).

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1100868141.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1100868158.jpg

Ahhh, serenity now...

Praying Mantis. I have seen them bigger than that. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen a small one.

I have heard the will pinch you if you piss them off. I'm not eager to find out.

aah, the type of bug that will say grace before attempting to eat your finger.... That's a pretty big one, though.

LeRoux

Bah... I played with them the whole time I was growing up. A rare find they are... but enjoyable to watch them crawl all over you. Can't say one ever pinched or bit.

"Walking sticks" are another fun one... they can't even think about retaliation if you get them mad.

Doesn't she also give her mate the best time of his life (literally), because afterward she eats him?

No, you're thinking of the black widow spider.

LeRoux

I used the piece of paper to relocate it; being unaware of it's "armaments".

I found a Black Widow spider a few weeks ago while clearing a fallen tree. It was at the base of the dead trunk just below the mulch level. I couldn't find it when I returned with my camera.

Okay, curiousity got me.
Google search turns up this:
Although the praying mantis is known for its cannibalistic mating process in actuality it only occurs 5-31% of the time. Especially in laboratory conditions of bright lights and confinement, the female is more likely to eat the male as means of survival. "In nature, mating usually takes place under cover, so rather than leaning over the tank studying their every move, we left them alone and videotaped what happened. We were amazed at what we saw. Out of thirty matings, we didn't record one instance of cannibalism, and instead we saw an elaborate courtship display, with both sexes performing a ritual dance, stroking each other with their antennae before finally mating. It really was a lovely display". There is one species, however, the Mantis religiosa, in which it is necessary that the head be removed for the mating to take effect properly. Sexual cannibalism occurs most often if the female is hungry. But eating the head does causes the body to ejaculate faster.

Oh, and this too...
During one experiment, mantids were observed in copulation for an average of six hours.

There is one species, however, the Mantis religiosa, in which it is necessary that the head be removed for the mating to take effect properly. Sexual cannibalism occurs most often if the female is hungry. But eating the head does causes the body to ejaculate faster.


Things that make you go Hmmmmmmmmm?.

I stand corrected, sir!

LeRoux

Girlfriend and I are leaving her place one day, I'm lagging behind a bit. She gets to the front door and I hear a blood curdling scream. I run out and see that a praying mantis has landed on her face and she is so petrified she can't move.

I laughed my a55 off. Needless to say I blew any opportunity to have her eat my head anytime soon.

Scott

Cool looking bug, if you ask me!!

now that is a different type of headjob.

ROFL!!! :D

We used to have a bunch that lived on some rose bushes. They're pretty interesting to just watch.