Insect redemption

I’m still feeling guilty about the whole ant massacre, but I think that today I redeemed myself — somewhat — in the eyes of the insect world.
We all know what it’s like to work with a bunch of women who laughingly get squeamish around bugs, and my workplace is no exception. I wandered up the hall to discover all the women in the front beside themselves at the sight of a huge praying mantis perched above one of the windows. “Gene! Get rid of it!”
I didn’t want to just throw it out the window — after all, we’re 5 stories up, and I don’t know if a mantis can fly, really.
Finally, I knocked it into one of those lovely blue recycling bins:

Then, a leisurely elevator ride and outside to the front lawn, where, after a little coaxing, she has a new home in the hedge.

With all the commotion in the office, you’d think that people were the main diet of the praying mantis.