Yesterday whilst at work in Abbotsford, opposite the old Victoria Park oval, I lured this little mantid, no more than 2mm in length, from amid the destruction of a rubbish pile. He stood a good chance of getting squished where he was so I was pleased he elected to climb upon my finger and then politely cut-some-shapes whilst Tone photographed him with my HTC phone. I nearly lost him a second time-- Hold up...Sorry for the gender specifics here, I admit it could be a girl would you prefer I said "it". The truck is a girl the mantid is a boy blahblahblah etc...anyway I nearly lost him a second time when I helped the mantid onto a paperbark tree. He ran right across a spider web. The vibrations enticing a huge black lurker which appeared at the edge of its silken cave primed to pounce. I drew him back onto my finger and took him to a low stone wall where he could have at least an even start back into his life.
Merry Mantodea my friends.
