Thankful for Little Friends

  Sometimes, you only have to look in the garden to find a good friend.  Being as my time outside has been strictly curtailed by caring for the old dog, the gardens are literally on their own.  I do little more than spray a bit of water on them every day or so and then hope of a bit of rain on the days when I cannot even get out to do that.  The plants are suffering greatly and it breaks my heart but there is just not enough time (and I do not have the energy) to tend to their needs. I'm running on empty here.

  I did, however, manage to sneak out for about fifteen minutes early this afternoon. Our temperatures were pushing the triple digits again and there was no rain in sight.  It was not the best time to be outside but since Son was not busy elsewhere at the moment, he volunteered to "dog sit" for Mr. PJ.  I hurriedly sprayed everything with a bit of water and then rushed back indoors.  While I was out, I did find one fine friend in amongst the plants. A huge praying mantis crawled from a young poinsettia plant (leftover from last Christmas!) onto a avocado sapling.  I would not have even noticed had my spraying the water hose not sent a small cricket scurrying.  The cricket sought refuge from the water droplets only to be snatched up by the mantis.  This slight movement was enough to make me grab the camera for a few photos before I headed back to check on the dog. 

  A praying mantis (or any of the several species found around here) is a welcome friend to gardeners.  It is beneficial due to its indiscriminate diet.  A mantis will eat just about anything it can overpower which includes a lot of the nuisance insects that attack plants.  The one today ate a cricket but it would not hesitate to eat squash bugs, stinkbugs, any number of caterpillars, moths or whatever wiggles.  The mantis uses stealth to capture the insects.  It will sit almost motionless or will sway a bit like a leaf in the wind until a critter ventures too near.  Then, the critter will call upon its lightning speed to spring forth and grasp the prey. Those folded front legs are used like arms to clutch its dinner. 

  I was happy to see the mantis in the garden this afternoon and equally as happy to see one on the window screen this evening.  In fact, I would love to see dozens upon dozens of the critters living in the gardens which is exactly why I refuse to use insecticides.  Why poison the plants and yourself when there are those who will do the dirty work of ridding the garden of pests for free?