Praying Mantis

We always have praying mantis bugs around our house, so I took some pictures.

I think this one was a baby.

Of course, this insect gets it's name praying mantis because it looks like it's praying.  A full grown mantis' favorite snacks are leaves, crickets, and butterflies.  Their colors of their long bodies can be green, grey, brown, or even pail pink, depending on where it lives and what it mainly eats. A praying mantis usually lives for about a year.


~Emma

New Spider

This is a very interesting looking spider!

It is a white spotted jumping spider, a.k.a. Phippus Audax.  They are not poisonous, but they do bite is they feel intimidated.

They are also called Daring Jumping Spider because it's prey consists of insects much larger than it, including the black widow!

~Emma

Orb-weaver spider

Check out this creepy spider!

They are Orbiculariae, a.k.a. orb-weaver spiders.

Despite their looks, these spiders are pretty harmless!

Even though they have toxin to paralyze their prey, they are non-toxic to humans.  They are basically a normal, eight-legged, eight eyed, spider!

What's interesting, though, is their webs. Aren't they pretty?

Another name for them is St. Andrew's Cross, because of the way their legs make an "x" shape.

Orb-weaver spiders are insect predators, so if you see one in your garden, leave it.  It will eat your garden pests!

~Emma