The Horse hospitalized after brutal praying mantis attack!

@TheHorse (205618)
Walnut Creek, California
September 19, 2018 11:51pm CST
A 6" praying mantis brutally attacked a popular Bay Area psychologist and educator today, leaving him on the brink of death. According to witness reports, the victim, known for his love of animals, was attempting to photograph the insect, whose relatives have visited him once a year for several years, when it flew at his throat, latched on with its barbed front legs, and started to eat him. Paramedics were unable to extricate the insect, which had turned from green to light brown to disguise itself, from the victim's throat, so a Caltrans team with "jaws of life" was called in. After a five-minute struggle, which left two paramedics injured and two snow pea plants dead, the predatory insect flew over to a healthy bean plant, where it turned green and could not be found. The victim was in critical but stable condition as of last report.
25 people like this
29 responses
PLETHOS
@Plethos (13560)
• United States
20 Sep 18
it tried to eat your head off? then that means it was a female mantis. female mantis eat the head off the male after they have se. ......... imma stop there. this is even too cringy for me.
7 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
Maybe she misinterpreted my intentions. I was ony trying to take a picture of her, as I do every year.
4 people like this
M.-L.
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
20 Sep 18
@TheHorse Why do you take a picture every year? Doesn't the insect look the same every year?
4 people like this
PLETHOS
@Plethos (13560)
• United States
20 Sep 18
@TheHorse - i see a #METOO accusation coming your way soon from the mantis.
3 people like this
Four Walls
@FourWalls (62090)
• United States
20 Sep 18
Don Dixon feels your pain. Get well soon.
Don Dixon "Praying Mantis" 1985
m.youtube.com
From "Most Of The Girls Like To Dance..." This tune never got it's due. It's simply fantastic.
6 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
I'd never heard this before. I did like the way she followed me with her eyes. I thought it was love, not hunger.
2 people like this
Four Walls
@FourWalls (62090)
• United States
20 Sep 18
@TheHorse -- in a praying mantis's world, love = hunger.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
@FourWalls Oh, I forgot about that.
2 people like this
BarBaraPrz
@BarBaraPrz (45476)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
20 Sep 18
Forget to take your meds again?
3 people like this
BarBaraPrz
@BarBaraPrz (45476)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
20 Sep 18
@TheHorse Yeah, those...
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
Meds? Are those the things those little green men in white coats keep trying to make me take?
2 people like this
Judy Story
@jstory07 (134405)
• Roseburg, Oregon
20 Sep 18
I hope you will recover soon.
4 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
Thank you. I feel like I need some Sudafed or something.
4 people like this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25812)
• Pikeville, North Carolina
20 Sep 18
Now you know why they named a Kung Fu moved after those little buggers.
3 people like this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25812)
• Pikeville, North Carolina
20 Sep 18
prayingmantiskungfu.weebly.com
@TheHorse Oh, yes, grasshopper.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
@DWDavis Thank you for the information, Sensai Davis.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
I didn't know they had!
3 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325648)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Sep 18
I bet that story made the journalist's day!
5 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
They're interesting critters. They will just sit in the same place for hours. But maybe that's only if there's a big, tasty human around.
4 people like this
Michele
@Aquitaine24 (11653)
• San Jose, California
21 Sep 18
Caltrans is so busy cleaning up homeless camps,it is amazing they had the manpower to respond.
2 people like this
Michele
@Aquitaine24 (11653)
• San Jose, California
21 Sep 18
@TheHorse It sucks.I don't like other states sending their derelicts here.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 Sep 18
Sigh. It's in the news almost every day here in the Bay Area.
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 Sep 18
@Aquitaine24 I think the homeless come to California (as well as Oregon and Washington) because of the temperate weather.
Mavic123456
@Mavic123456 (21898)
• Thailand
20 Sep 18
I caught him.. is this your suspect?
2 people like this
Mavic123456
@Mavic123456 (21898)
• Thailand
21 Sep 18
@TheHorse hmmm... no problem need just fry it and put some seasoning ... that's it.
1 person likes this
Mavic123456
@Mavic123456 (21898)
• Thailand
22 Sep 18
@TheHorse crunchy
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 Sep 18
@Mavic123456 Ah, thank you!
Anna
@LadyDuck (457918)
• Switzerland
20 Sep 18
There are some around, but as I am also a "female" and bigger than they are, they do not dare to approach.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
I think I read somewhere that the females appear a bit "wider." This one was about 3" long and pretty wide. I'd never squish one. All they ever do is sit there looking around. This one finally found its way to my plants.
2 people like this
Anna
@LadyDuck (457918)
• Switzerland
20 Sep 18
@TheHorse I never kill insects except mosquitoes, they hurt me, I kill them.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
@LadyDuck Oh, I squish them in an instant.
2 people like this
Eva James
@wolfgirl569 (95082)
• Marion, Ohio
20 Sep 18
It is a female and she is after all males, The heads must roll. Poor snow pea plants.
3 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 Sep 18
It's OK. I planted a whole bunch.
Lenore Plassman
@sallypup (57834)
• Centralia, Washington
20 Sep 18
Too bad that Wonder Woman wasn't around to save the day.
2 people like this
Lenore Plassman
@sallypup (57834)
• Centralia, Washington
20 Sep 18
@TheHorse Stinker woman needs to get with the program.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
She never seems to be 'round when I need her!
2 people like this
Angie
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Sep 18
@TheHorse Sorry I was busy saving a another man from that black sugar ant, took a while since I had to get out my glasses..
3 people like this
Morley Hunt
@Morleyhunt (21737)
• Canada
20 Sep 18
I've tackled photographing these man eating insects before. I at least kept a healthy distance between me and the subject of my photograph. At the hint of attack I would have been long gone. I don't run.....but I could make an exception. Hope that you have a speedy recovery and that the paramedics choose not to sue.
3 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
Thanks! I'm feeling much better this morning. My head seems to be attached to my body.
1 person likes this
Shiva
@Shiva49 (26199)
• Singapore
20 Sep 18
The story of "the Boy who cried Wolf" came to my mind. Other species are much kinder than us; they leave us alone - siva
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 Sep 18
Oh drat! So if my head really is bitten off by a praying mantis, and I write about it, you won't believe me?
1 person likes this
Shiva
@Shiva49 (26199)
• Singapore
21 Sep 18
@TheHorse I give you the benefit of doubt then! siva
Hanni Harel
@Hannihar (129388)
• Israel
20 Sep 18
@TheHorse How are you now?
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
My neck felt attached to my body when I woke up this morning. That's a good start!
2 people like this
Hanni Harel
@Hannihar (129388)
• Israel
21 Sep 18
@TheHorse Good and how are you feeling now? That is horrible what happened.
snowy
@snowy22315 (169893)
• United States
20 Sep 18
Be ware of brightly colored insects!
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 Sep 18
Snakes too.
1 person likes this
Ptrikha_2
@ptrikha_2 (45463)
• India
20 Sep 18
Is it about you? Are you ok now?
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
My head felt pretty firmly attached to my neck and shoulders when I woke up this morning. I think she misunderstood my intentions.
2 people like this
lady Di
@lady1993 (27225)
• Philippines
20 Sep 18
that sounds gruesome.. good thing the victim is okay
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
They managed to re-attach my head and I feel fine this morning.
2 people like this
cmoneyspinner
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
20 Sep 18
Photographers can capture some wonderful moments in nature. But they need to recognize that no picture is worth their life. Good to know he's in stable condition.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
Heh. I did watch a moose false-charge a photographer once. It was funny in a mean sort of way. Camera equipment went flying everywhere.
2 people like this
Angie
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Sep 18
She taught you where to stick your camera! Edit: your out of focus camera
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
Oh, here's a better shot, from before the brutal attack.
2 people like this
Diana Bauder
@BloggerDi (3113)
• United States
20 Sep 18
I've like mantises since I was a kid. I didn't even know they would attack and bite a person! I should have realized that they would defend themselves if they feel threatened. I'm glad you lived to tell us this scary and interesting tale!
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205618)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 18
They are carnivorous. And they can bite, but I've never seen one threaten a human. You know how men like to exaggerate the length of things. This one was really about 3" long. A friend I went hiking with yesterday said he really did have a 6" one in a his house a few years ago.
2 people like this
Diana Bauder
@BloggerDi (3113)
• United States
20 Sep 18
1 person likes this