The Knockout roses are always a little shabby, but this mantis doesn’t seem to mind.(Though obviously she doesn’t like her photo taken, i.e. why you get a view of her backside.) I’m hoping that she’s been feasting on the occasional Japanese beetles that show up to eat them. We haven’t had much damage because I go outside in the late afternoons and crush them between the leather fingers of my garden gloves if I find them in the blooms. Grisly, but remarkably effective!

As I write this, I’m desp...