Pregnant without sex

Aphids are born pregnant without the benefit of sex. 

Aphids can give birth 10 days after being born themselves.

Bug of the Week

This week’s bug of the week is the Flowering Mantis, which is family to the praying Mantis; only the flower mantis is able to camouflage to mimics flowers. The Mantis sits hidden in the flower and waits for its prey. The amazing ability for this Mantis to camouflage itself also works as a secret weapon as it can hide from other predators.

This type of Mantis is often found in Asia and did you know the Mantis is the only insect in the world that can turn its head from side to side to search for prey and their eyes can see up to about 18 meters away.

The above reasons and the sheer beauty of this insect is why I have chosen it to be the first bug of the week! 

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The Huntsman Spider...

The huntsman spider can move very quickly and they are very hairy with long legs, and due to their size, they are one spider that intimidates many people.

Many immigrants and Australian tourists are terrified, due to Australia's reputation for dangerous creatures, and you can understand why when looking at the size of these things!

I remember one late summers night coming down the stairs to make my baby a bottle when I peered onto the wall to find a massive huntsman, legs sprawled out against the wall... it wasn't there for very long cause I made sure it was squashed in a hurry! 

An Australian comedian who does have a fear of spiders mentioned in one of his shows that he knows the Huntsman spider is not dangerous, but how could we not be scared when they have been given the name Hunts... Man....! ( remember they are harmless) 

The spider can measure up to 15 cm wide from leg to leg. They have a flat body, which allows them to crawl underneath bark and other hiding places.

The huntsman can deliver a painful bite, but it differs from the majority of other Australian spiders in the fact that it wont kill you. 

A female huntsman can lay up to 200 eggs and she will guard these eggs, and not intake food or water for up to 3 weeks! Hows that for maternal instinct...

& 

Maybe we should be asking ourselves does the size, hairiness & the fear of the huntsman in & around our homes, outweigh the benefits of having them around?

After reading and researching this topic I am somewhat sitting on the fence on this matter, so I would love to hear your views!

~Leanne~

Rated X: Sexual Cannibalism!

The Praying Mantis gained its name from the long bent front legs which when held together looks like it is in a praying position. They have a triangular head, long neck and amazingly the mantis can turn its head 180 degrees which allows this insect to scan around.

The praying mantis is usually green or brown and can camouflage well on plants, trees and leaves. The mantis uses their front legs to capture their prey, and have fast refluxes which make it really difficult trying to witness the capturing of their prey.

The praying mantis eats moths, grass hoppers, crickets, flies and other small insects, and as famously known for, will eat their own kind. The female will eat her mate just after or during mating, and YET this does not turn off males from mating.

Researchers have discovered that the male thrust faster after it has been decapitated, and other scientists have found after the males head has been removed and eaten the body can continue to mate for up to eight hours!!!

It is believed that cannibalism during mating boosts female reproduction by 40%!!!

Harlem Shake

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