Being Green

Total serendipity that I happened to see this small green creature fly onto the patio and land on a green chair.  Amazing that I was able to run inside, grab the macro lens and raynox150, and find it right where it had last been seen.  And delightful that I was able to take quite a few shots both with and without the raynox150.  So, what is it?  It's only about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long and with sheer, lacy wings.  A green Mantidfly, looking like cross between a praying mantis and a lacewing.  

These tiny creatures feed on other insects as you could probably guess from the front legs which are built for grabbing and holding.  The really fascinating thing about mantisflies, however, is that their larva feed on spider eggs in egg sacks.  They sometimes hitchhike on an adult spider to the location or other times just manage somehow to find an egg sack.

And continuing on the green theme, I also found a very small short-winged meadow katydid in the garden and was able to tempt it onto my finger tip (see Extra).  Apparently, it wasn't sure if I was edible, so it took some exploratory nibbles on my finger tip.  This didn't hurt but was an odd sensation.  

My neighbors across the street found another tiny snapping turtle in their driveway but were not quick enough to get it before it disappeared into the vegetation.  Confirming my suspicion that a nest of them has hatched somewhere nearby.  Poor wee things will have quite a long trip to find water without being eaten along the way.  Jax and I are keeping eyes out for more.

An otherwise quiet day other with dog walks in between his naps.  It's a dog's life...

Dark with salted caramel today 

xo
Debbi