Summertime Visitors.

During the warm Summer months we always see a fair variety of insect life in our yard. As you can imagine, this can be both exciting and really annoying (to downright frustrating). The unusual heat we've been experiencing so far this summer seems to have heightened the number and kinds of bugs to boot. There is a creek about 1/4 of a mile from our house, and hidden on top of the hill across the street sits the city cemetery; we like to joke that we have a plethora of usual insects due to that. (No disrespect meant to those buried there.)

One visitor that we look forward to are the praying mantises. The past three or four years we've had one hanging out in the day lilies out front. In addition last year we watched as a huge brown mantis climbed a post on the side of the house, only to get to the top and fall off into my husband's waiting hand.

This year we've spotted as many as three of the little buggers. As cool as they are to observe, I have to admit they creep me out a bit. It's the way the can move their heads from side to side. Like they're following your every move. Which they probably are. Nope, I'm not one to let them crawl on me, but I don't mind getting a bit close to take a picture.