Computer Bug

The praying mantis is real, but it is hungry enough to try to catch and eat the cursor. He had been in the house for four days - prowling for insects around the ceilings.
The sound effects accidently supplied by the dog next-door (no - mantises don't bark).
The screen background is by the Bureau of Meterology.
The mantis was patient enough that we were able to set up lighting - as long as we kept moving the mouse.
(Notice how he keeps one foot on the top of the screen. Earlier he had tried to come down further, but skidded on the surface, and from then was more cautious).
No insects, cursors or mice were harmed in the making of this movie. The mantis was returned to the wild.
www.rodnmaria.id.au

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Stick insect
• Walking stick
• Praying mantis
• Apple notebook
• Nature
• Nurture
• Bureau of Meterology
• Technology
• Cursor
• Mouse

[DaQueenBionca]

Awww that's mean :( teasing the poor thing! lol I have one that looks exactly the same as that mantis in my laundry sitting behind the curtain window. It use to be on the very top window near the roof but it must have got freaked out by me coming near it to get a closer look and moved behind the curtain. I want to catch it and put it outside but I don't know how and I'm freaked out by it. I'm scared it will lung at me and bite if I try to help it outside. It's been inside for 5 days now.

[rodnmaria]

@DaQueenBionca

I can't help much with moving one of these monsters out of doors. How we moved this one out was to take her, computer and all outside and let her climb off. I can assure you she won't eat your head off. Female mantises do tend to bite off the heads of their spouses, but not usually humans.

A straw broom sometimes works - just talk gently, coax her on to the bristles and take her outside. For the big huntsman spiders we get here, we use a shoe box, but they do run very fast.

[jamalziane]

haha i just found a mantis just like yours and i put it on the laptop screen, but it wont chase the cursor :D , they are awesome !!

[rodnmaria]

@jamalziane Maybe yours is smarter than ours.

[scootts88]

it dosent even look real

[rodnmaria]

@scootts88 It's real! We let it go, so it's out there somewhere.

[AnimeMasterxGamer]

is dat a mantis ? O.o

[stevewins914]

lol if I seen that on my screen I would freak out

[lalalandd123]

@TDLProductionsUK

[TDLProductionsUK]

@lalalandd123 what are they then moron? lol

[mickyd110011]

no pun attended

[DaQueenBionca]

@rodnmaria I'm a bit late seeing your reply but thank you for your advise. I ended up getting the mantis outside by putting a container over it because it was trying frantically to run away from me when I got close to it.

[DaQueenBionca]

@demjp8RqDA That mantis was in my house 8 months ago as you can tell by the date on my last comment but I managed to get the mantis outside so it was all good for him in the end :) he freaked out when I went near him so I had to put a container over him and take it outside. I put him on a tree trunk and he seemed happy enough :) They are beautiful insects.

[Smilence03]

the stupid dog barking at background drives me crazy....

[demjp8RqDA]

@DaQueenBionca Sheesh, just pick it up. I handle mantises all the time, they won't bite. They do have prickery legs so don't freak out by that. They're actually a lot of fun to play with, but if you're easily freaked out, be warned that they will tend to run up your arms. Just use a hand to block their way. Most bugs just want to get away. Mantis you can actually sort of interact with, which is fun as heck.

[mihajlo525]

@rodnmaria i no i h8 how prople r saying its fake!