Taken home

In the middle of my day at work, I take a walk—a break from the indoor environment that, at some times seems claustrophobic—especially on sunny fall days. It’s not too stimulating—beige concrete bounded by the blacktopped lot and brick-faced building, covered by a metal canopy—but it’s fresh air, nonetheless.
And, sometimes within this sheltered area, there are creatures that seem out of place. Stranded on this man-made island, separated from where they intended to be.

Last week I found a praying mantis. Not another mantis, like the huge Chinese Mantids that descended upon my milkweed patch in August, the imported garden-stalkers from the other side of the world—a very different, smaller one, the North American native, the Carolina Mantid.
Her season is almost ended. Frosty mornings will soon bring our first hard freeze. But until then, she deserves better than days on a barren concrete sidewalk, dodging unseeing feet.

She behaved perfectly in that inverted styrofoam bowl on my desk for the remainder of the afternoon. Aside from the occasional “scritch” of her barbed feet as she walked around inside it, and my peeking through the air holes I’d given her…we kept her visit a secret.

The next morning, at home, with the warm sunshine on fallen leaves against the river rock wall—she seemed at home.

Chinese Mantid on milkweed
August 12, 2007

Chinese Mantid straddling large milkweed leaf
August 12, 2007

Carolina Mantid
only 2 inches in length
November 2, 2007

Green eyes
Raptorial forelegs with sharp spines

Carolina Mantid
November 2, 2007

Her small wings and heavy body do not allow her to fly--but they are beautiful to look at up close--
mottled shades of brown, silver and rose.