Inspiration from a Bug

A future Little Brown Spider story. Well...maybe.

One Cool Character

Living in the beautiful Hudson Valley region of New York, you get to encounter a host of little critters. From ones you want to meet, like the regal monarch butterfly, to ones you don't, like the irredeemable tick. Then there are those insects that make you say, "Man, that is one cool dude!" The praying mantis is one such dude.

I haven't come across too many of these super chill characters, but they're around. I've usually found them clinging to my back screen door or perched, like above, in a flower or vegetable plant. This curious fellow was first spotted atop the big, red flower you see in the image. Then he moved to the screen door. Then he disappeared for a few days.

They seem to have an affinity for screen doors

The other day, however, as I was walking along my driveway after getting the mail, there he was. Just hanging out. Admittedly, looking quite out of place and a bit gangly.

Hey, buddy, where you going?

I scooped him up and brought him back to his flower. Certainly didn't want to see him get accidentally squashed. Then, later in the day, I found him on my car windshield. Hmmm? Is this guy following me?

Hey, buddy, you have a driver's license?

I scooped him up again and put him back on his flower (where he attempted, and failed, to snag a passing bumble bee). Alas, I haven't seen my little traveler since.

Maybe he'll turn up somewhere. Perhaps sitting on my front porch or, perhaps, in a future Little Brown Spider story.

- DennisD.

SpiderWriter