'Double-Spined Murder Clamps' at the Ready

So here's this tiny praying mantis hovering over a spider's web in the bluebeard (Caryopteris clandonensis) in our pollinator garden. In the web are freshly caught prey, including a honey bee.

Now the praying mantis is known for snatching and devouring live prey--but this one appeared to be contemplating leftovers. Leftovers? Yes, and quite-dead leftovers.

Praying mantids don't do leftovers. They do eat their brothers and sisters, though, when they emerge from the ootheca. All's fair in love and war when prey is at a premium.

But this inch-long "bluebeard predator" appeared fairly new to the game of "snatch, hold and eat." Bees buzzed around his head but he kept looking down, looking for victims.

Which brings to mind a meme that friend Darren McNabb developed and posted on his popular Facebook page, Darren's Bugs. McNabb, who lives in Coralville, Iowa, is a talented macro photographer and life-long entomology enthusiast. He rears a few praying mantids. And he has a great sense of humor.

Ever been puzzled about what to call the key anatomical parts of a praying mantis?

Well, not to worry. Darren McNabb has them all figured out.

• The antennae: "Booty detectors."
• The eyes: "Victim locators."
  
• The mouth: "Devourer of all things, possibly including time"
  
• Those spiked forelegs: "Double-spined murder clamps."

Then there are the "neck enlongeners" and the "holder-uppers" and "floppy surprises."

The last time we saw our little praying mantis, he was using his "booty detectors," "victim locators" and "neck enlongeners," but not his "holder-uppers" or "double-spined murder clamps."

Thanks, Darren. You nailed it!