Praying Mantis Origami

Praying Mantis Origami by Miss O

Origami is not to be underestimated.
Often times it takes several attempts before the folds are correct. Accuracy is crucial at every step for the next step to succeed. Art is a part, but mostly it takes a brain that can bend to complete the final piece.
Miss O is always up for the challenge.
http://www.chine-culture.com/en/origami/insects/origami-of-praying-mantis.php

Praying Mantids are abundant this Fall.
We've intruded on their mating rituals, we've noticed their 'ootheca' (hardened foam egg cases) on several structures all over the farm and we have to tread lightly not to step on them in the long blades of grass.
They are amazing at camouflage!

 Ootheca

We learned this foam case (ootheca) is how the female protects her eggs. Up to 150 babies will emerge from this case after the wintertime. To survive, their first food are aphids or their own siblings!

Farmers will introduce mantids to their gardens as a natural pesticide.

The kids are good at noticing the baby mantids; they look similar to large mantids but they are small and dark in colour.

As they grow, they will shed their skin up to 8 times in the warm season!

Females born in Spring will lay eggs by Fall.