Saturday, October 18, 2008

A Bug's Life (and Death)

Ivan & Andre just came running in to show me the bugs they caught outside. They found a really big grasshopper and a bright green praying mantis.
They wanted to capture the two of them together to see what would happen.
Well, as you know, a praying mantis is really a preying mantis.
He probably thought the bug gods were smiling down on him when they delivered him a HUGE LUNCH!
So now my boys get to see nature in action.

Warning! The following photos are not for the faint of heart, or those with weak stomachs, or those who have just eaten, or are about to eat:





This is all very fascinating to watch in real life. The mantis seemed to be thoroughly enjoying his meal, turning his head from side to side as he gorged himself on the grasshopper's body fluids while the still-living grasshopper squirmed and kicked his legs, fiercely at first, then more and more slowly as his life was drained from him.
And, yes, that little black spider in the corner of the second photo is, indeed, a black widow that we found right inside the front door right after capturing the other two bugs!
Dis-disclaimer: I'd like to say that no actual bugs were injured during the filming of this blog. . . . .
but that would be a LIE! (The grasshopper and the black widow have, in fact, been seriously harmed.)

2 comments:

Austin said...

that's awesome.

that's all i have to say about that.

Tracie said...

Aw the poor grasshopper. But I guess that's life.