Do you have bugs?

**denisea** · 07-02-2005

We do! We've got some of the coolest bugs living right in our yard here in NC. One of my absolute favorites is the carnivorous Praying Mantis. Tonight Keith called me outside to witness something I'd never seen before. A female praying mantis shedding her skin... which they will do several times before reaching adulthood. I was fortunate to be able to snap off a few photos of the big event.

By now the flash on my camera really started aggitating my model so after much twitching she finally decided to move to a more private location.

And finally here she is modeling her brand new skin...

Then on the way back into the house we spotted a smaller male praying mantis just hanging out...

07-02-2005

Cool, we don't really have cool bugs here but my daughter discovered lightning bugs the other day and digs them. I think if I were a bug I'd be the Praying Mantis. They find a mate, do what they have to do, then get rid of them by eating them...or is it ripping thier heads off? Can't remember but it's really cool. Can you tell that I fought with Steve tonight?

But it was harmless, I'd never rip his head off. Although if I were stuck on an island forever he'd be able to feed me for a year.

STOGEY · 07-02-2005

Great pictures, the preying mantis is one of my favorite insects to. It reminds me of the days when I lived in Texas.

TAPPY · 07-02-2005

Cool pics Denisa ....we dont have to many of those....too many geckos around here....

**Shammy** · 07-03-2005

Ewwwww....as much as I appreciate all living things, those bugs gross me the heck out! It seems the only time I see one is when I wake up in the morning, pull open the blinds to see what the day looks like and there...2 inches in front of my face, is one of those huge, leggy praying whatevertheyare's clinging to my screen!

Look out, momma's flyin backwards into the dresser..OUCH!

Ewwwwwww...nope, don't like um!

But the pics are great Denise, even if I could only get through one or two without having flashbacks.

Seakony · 07-03-2005

I get alot of butterflies. I have the host plants for laying their eggs, which the caterpillars eat, and lots of flowers for them after they become butterflies. I just love how they leave their cocoons all over the place......not

**Jesus** · 07-03-2005

I love the Mantis, they are excelent natural pesticides, with no residual side efect.

Jacko · 07-03-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesus

I love the Mantis, they are excelent natural pesticides, with no residual side efect.

They are great for organic gardens! Along with the ladybug and assorted wasps that both eat various bad bugs.

What I hate are the dreaded carpenter bee that can drill a 1/4 hole in a piece of wood in no time flat....and then it gets worse when the exalted pileated woodpeckers tear the entire piece of wood apart trying to the get to the carpenter bee and its nest!

**denisea** · 07-03-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacko

They are great for organic gardens! Along with the ladybug and assorted wasps that both eat various bad bugs.

What I hate are the dreaded carpenter bee that can drill a 1/4 hole in a piece of wood in no time flat....and then it gets worse when the exalted pileated woodpeckers tear the entire piece of wood apart trying to the get to the carpenter bee and its nest!

We've got lotsa ladybugs in our yard too. Not many wasps though... which is OK by me.

Carpenter Bees suck. I've yet to figure out what benefit they serve other than to destroy any and all woodwork. Thankfully, they do not sting because they are both annoying and scary looking boogers. We've been fortunate although our yard and adjacent properties are filled with woodpeckers... they've yet to attack our house in search of Carpenter Bees.

Our street is across from a water treatment facility (and no it's not sewer treatment, it's drinking water) which has a water reservoir and is the breeding ground for huge hatches of May flies. Every year we get several huge hatches of May flies. And I do mean HUGE... kinda like Alfred Hitchcocks "The Birds" only with "The May Flies" instead. Just had a hatch this past week and they really freaked out our new neighbor. Funny to see a harmless bug freak out a grown man. I think they're neat because they're such docile insects that will land and hang out on anything... think ladybug... only problem is they're not quite as cute and pretty.

roni · 07-03-2005

We don't have carpenter bees, but we have a mason bee dwelling. In the summer, we can look out at the front flower bed that runs the width of the lot and watch multiple varieties of bees buzzing about the flowers. It is a neat sight.

07-02-2005	#1 (permalink)
denisea Forum Goddess Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: On the road to ruins... Posts: 7,025	Do you have bugs? We do! We've got some of the coolest bugs living right in our yard here in NC. One of my absolute favorites is the carnivorous Praying Mantis. Tonight Keith called me outside to witness something I'd never seen before. A female praying mantis shedding her skin... which they will do several times before reaching adulthood. I was fortunate to be able to snap off a few photos of the big event. By now the flash on my camera really started aggitating my model so after much twitching she finally decided to move to a more private location. And finally here she is modeling her brand new skin... Then on the way back into the house we spotted a smaller male praying mantis just hanging out...

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07-02-2005	#2 (permalink)
le_meow Guest Posts: n/a	Cool, we don't really have cool bugs here but my daughter discovered lightning bugs the other day and digs them. I think if I were a bug I'd be the Praying Mantis. They find a mate, do what they have to do, then get rid of them by eating them...or is it ripping thier heads off? Can't remember but it's really cool. Can you tell that I fought with Steve tonight? But it was harmless, I'd never rip his head off. Although if I were stuck on an island forever he'd be able to feed me for a year.

07-02-2005	#3 (permalink)
STOGEY Allah Akhbar Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: salisbury, mass. Posts: 6,732	Great pictures, the preying mantis is one of my favorite insects to. It reminds me of the days when I lived in Texas.

07-02-2005	#4 (permalink)
TAPPY añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Louisiana Posts: 15,106	Cool pics Denisa ....we dont have to many of those....too many geckos around here....

07-03-2005	#5 (permalink)
Shammy Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Joisey Shore Posts: 10,480	Ewwwww....as much as I appreciate all living things, those bugs gross me the heck out! It seems the only time I see one is when I wake up in the morning, pull open the blinds to see what the day looks like and there...2 inches in front of my face, is one of those huge, leggy praying whatevertheyare's clinging to my screen! Look out, momma's flyin backwards into the dresser..OUCH! Ewwwwwww...nope, don't like um! But the pics are great Denise, even if I could only get through one or two without having flashbacks.

07-03-2005	#6 (permalink)
Seakony añejo Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: no longer in Mesquite with nothing to do Posts: 10,148	I get alot of butterflies. I have the host plants for laying their eggs, which the caterpillars eat, and lots of flowers for them after they become butterflies. I just love how they leave their cocoons all over the place......not

07-03-2005	#7 (permalink)
Jesus Nutty Peep Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Mexico City, Mexico Posts: 4,775	I love the Mantis, they are excelent natural pesticides, with no residual side efect.

07-03-2005	#10 (permalink)
roni Happy Curmudgeon Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 26,875	We don't have carpenter bees, but we have a mason bee dwelling. In the summer, we can look out at the front flower bed that runs the width of the lot and watch multiple varieties of bees buzzing about the flowers. It is a neat sight.

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