Mantises are usually green, brown, or grey in color. They have triangular heads with elbowed antennae, large compound eyes that pivot sideways (giving them nearly 360-degree vision), and a flat body. The praying mantis is named for the way its front limbs are held together in a prayer-like posture that gives them great camouflage. While they can move relatively fast, their speed is limited by the fact the back two legs act as arms and not as legs. Some species may have wings with which they fly if danger presents itself but most cannot fly.
They are an excellent garden friend because they eat harmful pests that might be damaging your plants, such as aphids and leafhoppers. But beyond being a helpful friend, the praying mantis is an animal with many unique and fascinating facts.
Known as mantises in North American or European countries and more than 2000 other regional names such as “praying mantis,” “preying mantis,” “mantid,” or just “mantis”—the common name for this insect around the world varies as much as its color variations. The name “praying mantis” comes from a unique stance that gives this insect the look of being in a prayerful position, though it is not known why they bend their front limbs into this posture and how they develop this behavior.
The female praying mantis lays her eggs first after choosing a mate. She can lay up to about 400 eggs which she carries around with her front legs until they hatch. The female mantises cannot eat while carrying the eggs. She spends a lot of time caring for her young, guarding the egg sac firmly until they are ready to be on their own. Mantises can live up to one year and sometimes longer.
In order to survive, praying mantises eat almost any kind of animal (not plant material). They consume flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, crickets, worms, and beetles. They use their front legs to catch and hold onto their prey while using the long spines along the inside of their legs to deliver a bite. The adult mantis may eat between 40 and 80 insects per week. That’s a lot of help from one insect!
Mantises are a garden friend, eating pests to help keep your plants safe. So if you want some great protection against harmful insects such as aphids, leafhoppers, flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers or crickets—don’t harm these friendly creatures.
The play Harvey by Mary Chase is a classic that has been revived and will be playing at the Spotlight Playhouse in September. Written in 1944, the play is about Elwood P. Dowd and his friend Harvey. The problem is that Harvey only reveals himself to a limited few so most people think Elwood talks to an imaginary friend. Elwood is lovingly cared for by his sister Veta, but she has an announcement to make that will change all of their lives. The play takes place in Middle America and deals with family issues and personal relationships.
Berea has a wonderful selection of venues to host your next birthday party. From crossing those monumental thresholds, like the big 50, or a simple small venue to keep the mess out of your house these are the top places to get your party started.
The first option is the meeting room that will seat around 30 people comfortably. The second is the large fireplace room located just off the main dining room and offers easy access to the country buffet that has made the Smokehouse Grill a Berea staple of great viddles. Located just off of I-75 Exit 77 in Berea, finding the restaurant is a snap. To rent the rooms contact the Smokehouse by calling 859-986-0830
The Spotlight Playhouse – The Spotlight Playhouse is a wonderful place to bring the family for a fun-filled birthday party. It is located at 214 Richmond Road on the strip and offers several venues to rent out for a small group or large crowd. From a black box theatre that has 100 seats and great acoustics to the open hardwood floored Studio and spacious lobby, the Spotlight Playhouse has something for everyone. To learn more about renting the rooms call 859-756-0011.
The Boone Tavern – Boone Tavern Event Center, Skylight Room, Robinson Room, Coyle Gathering Room, Lincoln Lounge, and Elizabeth Ann Dunseth Lounge are all spaces perfectly fitted for a birthday party and range in size to seat 14 guests to 150 guests. Many of the rooms feature complimentary wi-fi and access to audio/video equipment. As the pricier location on this list you may want to reserve the Boone Tavern for the most special of occasions, but then again aren’t all birthdays special? To rent one of these exquisite rooms call 859-985-3967.
Many Area Churches – If you are a member of a local church you may need to look no further than your local congregation for a birthday party location. Many area churches have well-appointed fellowship halls available to members for free or at a low cost. Some of the nicest halls include Berea Baptist Church, Westside Baptist Church, First Christian, Berea United Methodist Church, and Church on the Rock.
