Mantis

What brought Shelob back to my mind recently was an encounter I had with a praying mantis.  About a week and a half ago, as I was leaving for work, I saw a mantis sitting atop the molding around the opening that separates my dining room from my den.  It startled me a bit because that’s something I didn’t expect to see.  It clearly saw me.  As I walked by it turned its head to follow my path.  Since I was on my way out the door I left it with a waive and said, “You found your way in, find your way out.”

When I returned from work the mantis was in the same spot.  I decided that it would probably not fare as well as a spider indoors, so I took it outside and laid it in the grass.  It climbed to the top of the nearest weed and struck its twig-like pose. 

I have since seen the mantis on my deck.  It has decided to spend nights near my motion activated flood lights eating whatever flits by.  I’ve seen it catch a couple of things, so I know it is successful.  I’m surprised more critters don’t utilize the light.  I have occasionally seen spiders build webs there and become overwhelmed with bounty; reaping dozens of catches in mere minutes.

With the first cool days of fall rolling in, I don’t think I’ll see this mantis too much longer.  I may never see this one again.  I can only hope that its story ends better than Shelob’s did.  I’d love to have generation after generation of mantises patrolling my backyard.