Unexpected Guests!

by Felicia
(Florida, USA)

Praying Mantis

My fiance and I recently bought a cottage home in Florida which needed quite a bit of renovation.

The idea was to paint a few rooms, lay down a little carpet as well as bring in a few houseplants from my parents home up north.

After two gruelling weeks the final phase had arrived - Dad had arrived with the houseplants!

The plants meant we were close to a stopping point and could take a break, go to Vegas, get married and relax for a whole week!

Needless to say Las Vegas was great and the wedding went off just as planned.

On the trip back to Florida we planned all the exciting decorating ideas we wanted to bring to our new love nest. As we opened the front door we were literally pushed backwards by a rush of what could only be explained as a wave of moving, chirping pinestraw!

It was actually a massive herd of Praying Mantis!

The houseplants that my dad brought from up north apparently had unborn Praying Mantis on the limbs and the Florida heat was all they needed to produce life and lots of it!

It took three days and $900.00 to finally rid the house of those unwelcome guest. The image and sound however are imbedded in our minds forever!

Andrea's Response

Good Heavens Felicia - what a start to married life! Just thinking about it is making me itch...

My thanks to Mike McCaffrey @ flickr for the photo