Khaki T shirt with appliqué praying mantis (hand embroidered by Mary Addison)

Having forgotten to photograph this when I gave it to the small person, I had first to find it, and where should it be but in the dirty washing basket. A wash and dry later, a grease spot was clearly visible slap bang in the middle of the praying mantis appliqué. So, after a quick treatment with a splodge of Ecover Clothes Wash and a brief second wash by hand I snapped it before it disappeared back into the mêlée  that is a 7 year old’s bedroom. No embroidery on this one, just a simple silhouette as  the distinctive shape has an impact all of its own.

Praying mantis T shirt on a rather contemplative 7 year old

Since I’ve been spending more time in London, the small person and I have revisited Channel 4′ s ‘Secret Life of the Zoo’ and watched again episodes we first watched 5 years ago, when he was 2 and when we all lived together for a year in London while builders were at work on the family home. One episode we remembered and particularly enjoyed was the mating triumph of male orchid mantis, Bruce, where the zoo’s 4 previous males had failed (that is, they were eaten). Bruce, a quarter the size of  Natasha, the female, was the zoo’s last hope. Through careful handling  – which involved introducing Bruce while Natasha is fed a particularly juicy grasshopper – Bruce, “short on stature but long on stamina”, successfully set about mating. This perilous procedure went on for 26 hours which is not unusual. The staff, who must have spent an anxious night wondering how Bruce has got on, then decide to intervene to remove him before the female was tempted to call him dinner.  5 tiny orchid mantis babies are the rather lovely result and watching them sent us away happy to bed.

I can’t help thinking what a fine heraldic device the praying mantis would make or perhaps the badge for a new make of car (electric of course).  It would also make a nice linocut or block print for a summer skirt or curtains for an entomologist’s bedroom. In the coming years, perhaps we shall not only feast on insects but borrow their interesting and varied shapes as design devices. I haven’t yet tackled eating them but I’ve become very keen on embroidering them.