Summer Time

Summer is the time of year for science. Well life science anyway, specifically the study of insects and a few amphibians. We currently have two Pacific Tree Frogs, one green and one grey ; two Praying mantis, a boy and a girl; a California Root Boerer, he's a big one and he hisses too; and a Tree Cricket, a very loud "singer." The frogs are going to need to go back to the wild soon. We are feeding them flies but this is becoming a weary task. I’m not sure they are getting enough food either. The Hissing beetle (what some around here call'em) needs to go very soon, he is just plain creepy. A bug should not be that big! The cricket will probably become food for the frogs or more likely the praying mantis. It was fascinating to watch it move his wigs to make the chirping noise. It came in the house uninvited and interrupted our Jerry Lewis movie. We are keeping the praying mantis for a while. I just fed the male a bunch of moths. The female has a grasshopper left from yesterday. I would like to see if the female would lay an egg sack. It would be so intriguing to watch it hatch in the spring. It could be a little creepy too because there could be 20-400 little babies. Then we can let them go in the garden to eat the bad bugs.