When the garbage can was about half way full, I threw in a pile of weeds and noticed a little praying mantis running around on the weed. I saved him, and moved him to his new home, my tomato plant, where he can feast on little bugs for the rest of his life. Connor was extremely excited that we saved this little bug.
As we walk back to the can I notice ANOTHER praying mantis. After chasing it around the weeds, I saved him and placed him with his brother (assuming they are even related) and he was happy, I can tell.
Then I start inspecting all of the weeds I am putting in the can (I am such a girl) and we find two more praying mantis'. We moved them to my burning bush (which isn't really on fire, it is a name for a plant that turns red in the fall) and they seemed quite satisfied with their new surroundings.
I only had one huge weed left and I look, but no praying mantis, so I throw it in the garbage. As soon as I was about to smash it down, I see a praying mantis run from branch to branch. "Another one!!" I yell to Connor. "FIVE!" he yells back and runs over to help save him. I worked on saving this bug for 20 minutes. Then the unthinkable happens, he fell to the very bottom of the can, never to be seen again. We were devastated that we couldn't save this poor creature. Gone for good. I don't even want to think about how many I crushed before I even noticed the first praying mantis. Who knows, maybe he survived my big huge muscles crushing the remaining weeds. I am pretty buff, so I doubt it (ha!). I would like to think he lived a good life.
RIP Praying Mantis*
2008-2008
*This is not an actual picture of the praying mantis. Austin took this one last year.
*This is not an actual picture of the praying mantis. Austin took this one last year.
So cute. I love that you had a RIP. Make sure they are all female...don't they eat the males after they mate...that would be another great lesson for Connor to learn...hee-hee!
ReplyDeleteGreat picture Austin!