Praying Mantis Season

As the temperature starts to rise, I can always look forward to the appearance of praying mantids in the backyard. It's a funny thing, since we never used to see them until about three years ago. Now, they're a welcome addition to our garden. So far, we've seen three this season.

Here's one of them. It lives in a penthouse at the top of the bay leaf plant. It's probably only a half-inch long right now, but hopefully it will grow big and strong and decide to stick around for a while.

Something Unusual

One time my dad took us to the Japan Expo at the L.A. Convention Center. While walking into the exhibit hall, we see an 赤とんぼ (dragonfly) flying around. It started flying toward the wall and instead of landing on the ledge, it flew straight into the wall at full speed. And died. It fell onto the ledge, and we waited for a minute for it to get up, but it didn't. I've never seen a bug willfully commit suicide like that. Strange.

The Black Widow Spider - One of Nature's Sexiest Creatures

I confess that I am a leg man*, which would explain my preoccupation with spiders, particularly black widow spiders, as a perfect specimen has no less than eight legs. The black widow has a unique silhouette such that they are easily distinguishable from most other spiders. The female of the species is particularly attractive, with measurements in the extreme, and heavily accentuated curves. If you are a fan of the badonkadonk, then look no further. Their shiny black exoskeletons are comparable to black leather bodysuits. Their long, smooth, neatly segmented legs end in sharp points, as if they are wearing full-length, black leather stiletto boots. And their abdomens are generally accented with a red hour glass tattoo in the middle. Yes, the female black widow is stylish, flaunting, and wanton.

In some circumstances, the female will actually consume her mate, so deadbeat boyfriends beware. She is a fiercely independent woman, able to store the male's sperm and lay eggs months later. She'll give birth to hundreds of baby spiders per cycle, out of which a dozen might survive.

And I'm not overlooking the black widow's most famous feature, a highly potent neurotoxin capable of killing an adult human. That extra bit of danger adds to their overall sexiness factor.

Black widow spiders are like the fashionistas of the bug world. They're not as out there as some of the more floral insects, but they stand out. As weavers, they're actually pretty lousy without any sense of artistry or style. But they present an overall package that's hard to deny.


*Except when it comes to chicken, where I'm a wing man.

Top Ten Favorite Animals

1. capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)







2. black widow spider (Latrodectus hesperus)











3. North African hedgehog (Atelerix algirus)









4. African praying mantis (Sphodromantis lineola)











5. Western tiger swallowtail butterfly (Papilio rutulus)










6. ocean sunfish










7. gray wolf (Canis lupus)










8. Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus)










9. giant isopod (Bathynomus giganteus)








10. Surinam toad