my little bugger Jerry

[JWFugle]

hi all, im new to the insect/invertebrate world. but i found this little guy outside my house early august and thought he was so cool. since i have had him he has molted "shed" twice (im used to snake terms haha). he has been so cool to have watching him hunt and track his prey, they have such amazing eyesight he tracks me from across the room. incredibly aggressive too, he lets me hold him but man anything else he kills. ive been catching crickets, ants, grasshoppers, beetles, and flys and am currently trying to get him to eat minnows!

[Charis]

Very nice! My brother and I used to catch these all the time when we were kids and keep them for months. They are startlingly intelligent!

[marvelfreak]

Such a cute little guy.

[Mikoh4792]

They are startlingly intelligent!

More than snakes?

[Charis]

I'm not sure about more than snakes ... Maybe as much as a snake?

[Mikoh4792]

I'm not sure about more than snakes ... Maybe as much as a snake?

Lol it would be cool if they were. Mantises look so alien.

[sweatshirt]

I've always loved mantises :D

[Little Wise Owl]

Mantises are so cool! Great photos :)

[JWFugle]

thanks all, crazy how good those iphone cameras are. hes been so cool to have, dosnt mind being handled. i fed him a minnow yesterday, he watches them swim around underneath him but he dosnt like the water so he just watches lol

[JWFugle]

well he molted again! and now he has wings! i actually got to watch parts of his molting it was really cool to see how they break out of the old skin.

[formica]

awsome :) time to let him fly off and find a mate then?

[DragonsEye]

He's a handsome bloke. Mantids are nifty critters.

I would suggest letting him go while he may still be able to find a mate.