It started with an unexpected sight — dozens of tiny praying mantises hatching by my doorstep, each no bigger than my pinky. For a moment, I stood in awe as they crawled up the walls, beginning their fragile new lives.
From Egg to Hatchling
Praying mantises emerge from an ootheca — a hardened egg case containing up to a hundred eggs.
When spring warmth arrives, it splits open, releasing perfect, wingless miniatures of their parents. That was the miracle I witnessed firsthand.
Nature’s Little Hunters
Masters of patience and precision, mantises feed on flies, aphids, and mosquitoes, keeping nature in balance.
With near-360° vision and lightning-fast reflexes, they strike with perfect timing — turning stillness into art.
A Lesson in Awareness
Across cultures, the mantis symbolizes mindfulness and calm.
Watching those hatchlings reminded me to slow down and notice life’s quiet miracles — proof that renewal unfolds all around us, if we only pause to see it.