Mantis
9/8/21Today while I was sitting outside in a concrete pavilion, I saw a mantis standing on the wooden seat. Earlier, in the same place a ladybug had flown into my head, ricocheting off my temple into the pages of my book.
I realized it had been an entire year since I last saw a mantis. The last time had been in nearly the same place, only 150 feet away.
Where I found the mantis today was some distance from any plant taller than a blade of grass, and I considered an attempt at transporting it.
It likely would have died had I tried to move it, so I am happy I did not. After running a rattlesnake over this summer, I'm not sure how many more animals I can personally kill.
I like to think the rattlesnake dying was a failure of the highway system.