A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 praying mantis

See...I told you they would try to kill you!

But, the one that got me did it with his hands, not a bite. Stuck his finger-thingys right into my BONE. (Maybe mine was into martial arts!?!)

And some of you SLEEP with them right in the house?

Cindy, that's exactly why I would of kept the one in my room in a terarium or something at night! I've only been near chickens on their own turff once when I was little. I went into a barn while my dad was talking to the people who's house it was and they automaticly flew up in the air, over my head to perches and all over the place. For a 10 year old that's kind of frightening! After I ran out I guess that scared them and they started chasing me . Only a few meters but still!
So your an artist ehe... What's your medium?

#1 Acrylic, and #2 Sign Paint

I used to make good money painting saw blades, etc., most of them special order from a photo of someone's home or barn. Whenever I had a booth at a craft show, SO many people wanted me to paint them a sign. So, I started painting signs and loved it. I ended up with the biggest sign business within 100 miles, and LOVED the diversity of it. One day it was a plain ole sign for a real estate company, the next was custom graphics on a race car. When I married Andy, he didn't want me to work. So, I sold my business and now only paint signs for his business, and Christmas presents. All the time I used to spend painting for money is now spent in the yard! And since I am an artist at heart, I have a very colorful yard! I don't miss the business at all...I can paint anytime I want to. I am so grateful for the time I have now to spend with my yard and grandson. I pick him up from school almost every day, and the first thing he says is "What are we going to plant today, Cindy Granny?"! He has his own tools and has quite the green thumb! (4 years old)
I was thinking about donating a custom-painted sawblade or something as a prize if they had the gardening contest I read about on the forum, but since I haven't been here that long didn't know if it was appropriate or not. Guess I'll wait and see if they do it.
Are you a "painter"?

It's rare that I see a mantis around here. I think I'm too far north. For pure insect control, you'll do better by making the spiders at home. They eat far more pests. My worst pest is cabbage worms. The spiders, especially the crab spiders get the adults while wasps get the larvae. Combined, they keep them pretty much under control.
That ladybug article is interesting. We have that species, along with others here. They do manage to get into the house, sometimes in some pretty big numbers, but aren't really a problem. I usually wait for a day slightly above freezing and move them out to the wellshed where they finish the winter. I moved several dozen outside during the last warm spell. Put them on a small table in the sun. When I splashed some water onto the table by accident, they all went to it for a drink. It was quite interesting to watch.
They do get into the walls but I'm willing to let them. The good they do far outweighs the minor inconvenience of them getting indoors.
Rick

Sorry I haven't gotten back to this post for a while, been getting to much oxygen!
Rick, when ever I see a spider I rescue it from my mom or sometimes they're in the upstairs bathroom and I move them next store to mine! Did you know that the average canadian eats up to 100 spiders a year! ?I think it's that. Our goverment gets board every now and then I think .
I figure it's mostly the new borns just leaving the nest while were sleeping .
Cindy, I do paint by some standards! Acrylics & sand, string, anything I can make stick. I love art!!
Since I'm mainly just at home for the time being my gardening motto is "I'm practicing to be a starving artist with a vegetable garden!" I to have lots of time to paint and grow things for the moment. My skill has yet to pass over from drawing to painting. I used to be big into surrealism when I drew and just let my hand go but since I've been painting I think it's a cross between being lazzy and to anxious to realy keep my self in a good state of mind for anything with detailed form. I'm still kind of sluggish with the brush strokes to. I do lots of realy abstracted stuff and alot of impressionism. I've said it befor words to big for some one as little an artist as me . I look forward to seeing some of your work? Bill needs to put in a realy big wink graemlin with it's mouth open ! Your art seems realy neat.
I'm shure it's not out of order at all to bring up the custom sign thing. As you must know by now EVERYONE is realy friendly but I think they did want it to be a just for fun thing. I think it'll be a while to so time will tell.
Josh.