Outside of our french windows is a trellis over the patio. Across from this we have a pool fence. We put it up when the children were small for their protection. It is now a place for Praying Mantis. When the spring comes and the baby mantis break their egg sack, hundreds of babies run along the claw proof dark plastic mesh.
The first days of autumn brings me a great visitor; a big mama mantis on the pool fence. This is very odd in the middle of the day with the sun overhead. We watched her wobble about. Her back-end is quite large. She shock many times as she moved using her long legs to balance her weight. I then decided to move her. I usual do not interfere with nature. She is big and it took five months for her to get this size. I am sure she can take care of herself…but I love her so, and did not want to see her devoured by a cat. Some would see this as equal punishment for the many creatures she sucked the life force from. I do not judge nature.
I put my hand and arm out to her. She looked round at me with her large yellow-green eyes. The end of her spider legs reached out grasping the hairs on my arm like cactus hairs, pulling her towards me. She was aboard me. Quickly she ran to my right shoulder than the left shoulder. Then she was on my head. I felt her weight on my neck and she tickled me. I laughed out loud. Walking slowly towards the trellis I rest my head on the vines and flowers. It did not take long for her to skip jump up to a branch. Now, she was almost camouflaged from my gazing green eyes. Later in the day she was gone from this spot. In my heart I knew she was nearby.