For our September meeting we welcomed Ceil Rossi.

Ceil lived in Arizona for over 26 years during which time she discovered gourds, an art form of the southwest.

Her earthy artwork is grown from the ground and it’s these hard shelled vessels that have perpetuated her passion for art.

For Horticulture, Linda Hooper shared information about the Praying Mantis, Connecticut’s State Insect.

The name “Mantis” is derived from the Greek word for Prophet or Diviner which describes the Mantis’ distinctive habit of standing motionless on four hind legs with two highly specialized forelegs bent and raised in an attitude of mediation or prayer.

They average 2-6 inches in length, have 6 legs, 5 eyes, 2 wings, 2 antenna and a single ear and are colored either green or brown. Their diet consists of live insects such as aphids, flies, grasshoppers, small caterpillars and moths, they also eat hummingbirds. Their predators include frogs, lizards, snakes, spiders, birds and bats.  Eggs are laid in the fall, on small branches, in cases called OOTHECAE.