Watching you, watching me

There’s a world around us we never notice -- the world of bugs. It’s estimated that the total body weight of all the ants on Earth is at least one-half that of all the humans. This praying mantis is descended from those hatched from an egg case purchased 20 years ago, along with a box of ladybugs. The praying mantis is a great hunter: patient, and tolerant of being held in your hand, sort of. This one posed in a holly bush after eating a stray kitten (just kidding, it was a calf). We spent an hour having a look-see at each other.

© 2007 George J. Bancroft Sr.