Clovis Crawfish and Michelle Mantis

Fontenot, Mary Alice

In this bayou adventure, Michelle Mantis, an ugly old critter, enters the bayou friends' territory. She is a ravenous praying mantis and is called the cheval de diable (devil's horse) in French. With her insatiable appetite, Michelle wants to consume everything in sight, including Clovis's friends! Clovis defends them, and the hungry insect settles for some ants, eating one after another. Her stomach full, she falls off a log onto the muddy bayou bank, but with mud on her wings, she cannot fly. Josette June Bug, Christophe Cricket, and the rest of Clovis's friends were fearful of Michelle, but now Clovis rallies them to free her and send her on her way.