tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8311151968716514867.post936769709435316987..comments2023-09-06T08:23:46.896-07:00Comments on oreneta aground (but missinaibi's afloat!): Jeez Louise, I was frustrated last nightorenetahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616103982088424715noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8311151968716514867.post-67234083422760927502011-10-09T22:40:38.954-07:002011-10-09T22:40:38.954-07:00Kate, honestly! A pink praying mantis. That woul...Kate, honestly! A pink praying mantis. That would be amazing.orenetahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616103982088424715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8311151968716514867.post-65046258083721071802011-09-24T02:05:43.520-07:002011-09-24T02:05:43.520-07:00School is fine. Right now I'm mostly assisting...School is fine. Right now I'm mostly assisting with the new group of 3 year olds, though I have given a few classes to the older kids too. <br /><br />I'll look for the book-- thanks!<br /><br />A quick Google informed me that the praying mantis does indeed vary in color according to habitat. Apparently some are even pink (ones that live in the tropics near pink flowers.)katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16975826433125245969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8311151968716514867.post-25611743556904562862011-09-23T14:38:26.477-07:002011-09-23T14:38:26.477-07:00Got better still today Kate, went into work for a ...Got better still today Kate, went into work for a couple of hours, even though I didn't have any 'work'...all much better. <br /><br />Can praying mantis change colour? They can bite, but must be provoked. Indeed the females devour the males, beginning with the head during the, ah, procreative act. If you have never read Gerrald Durrel's My Family and Other Animals, you must RIGHT NOW, in English. Aside from the sheer delight of the book and his writing, (I am informed that the translations leave much to be desired and much of the humour is lost, hence the English edition, wonder if Amazon.ES sells it) there is a delightful several page description of a battle between a lizard and a praying mantis that took place one night above the young Durrell's bed. Not to be missed.<br /><br />Didn't get a captcha, but I too sometimes wonder if they are truly random. <br /><br />How is back to school treating you?orenetahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616103982088424715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8311151968716514867.post-11066857355807337902011-09-23T08:54:54.882-07:002011-09-23T08:54:54.882-07:00Glad you're feeling better. Frustrated is no f...Glad you're feeling better. Frustrated is no fun. As for the mantis, one made an appearance on the school playground last week, but instead of the familiar light green color, it was a very light tan. Saw another one like that near home, too. Definitely a better color to be to blend in with all the sand/ summer-baked dirt around here! I wonder if it is a different species, an adaptation (mutation selected for), or just a normal stage in the praying mantis life cycle that I've never seen before. What color was yours? <br /><br />Oh, and do they bite/sting? Another teacher told me that they do, after I had carted it around the playground for awhile in search of a safe haven.<br /><br />Hey, the captcha says: readoff. Is that just random? Hmmm...katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16975826433125245969noreply@blogger.com