Preying Mantis

So.. I'm not a bug person. I think they are interesting from afar, but that's about it. I think I played with those "potato bug" things as a kid, but I won't now. Ladybugs are cute, but I don't prefer to have one on me. Anyhoo...

This is a "Preying Mantis"

I have never seen one before. I googled and here is a bit of what I found.

"By any name, these fascinating insects are formidable predators. They have triangular heads poised on a long "neck," or elongated thorax. Mantids can turn their heads 180 degrees to scan their surroundings with two large compound eyes and three other simple eyes located between them. (kinda cool, but a lot ewwwww!!)
Moths, crickets, grasshoppers, flies, and other insects are usually the unfortunate recipients of unwanted mantid attention. However, the insects will also eat others of their own kind. The most famous example of this is the notorious mating behavior of the adult female, who sometimes eats her mate just after—or even during—mating. (um... gross!!) Yet this behavior seems not to deter males from reproduction."

This is our beloved "firstborn" Sam
A psudo- "preying mantis".. he thinks he is all that.. and a bag of chips!
Again, I call him this, but I have never seen what a real "mantis" looks like.

UNTIL YESTERDAY......

Doug was excited... I guess they don't usually hang out it neighborhoods like ours! I, to be honest, thought I was cool, too (I am glad I googled about them after this occured.. it might not have been so cool!). I ran in and got my camera. Evelyn was excited about the "big bug", too!

Then Sam... my preying mantis, wanted to get a closer look. Below is a shot by shot view of what happened next! Click on the pics to enlarge.. it is actually quite interesting!

Hmmm... what is this? Very interesting....

Look at the PM.. his wings are getting into a defensive mode.
Wings are even bigger....

Sam getting a closer look...

Look at it go... Sam has no idea what is coming....

The PM got him right in the nose!

Sam was none to pleased about this and proceeded to knock the PM around a bit. Oh... at one point during this encounter, the PM hissed at Sam. No joke. Creepy. Eventually it just flew away.

My first encounter with a Preying Mantis. Interesting.

Anyway.... I just thought I would share our little bug adventure!