What Do Water Striders Eat?

"Mom, what's this?"

"Um, that's a mosquito, baby."

"What do mosquitos eat, Momma?"

"They eat blood."

"Yeah, they suck your blood."

"And what's this, Momma?"

"Um, that's a horsefly."

"What do horseflies eat?"

"Garbage and yucky stuff."

"Cool. What's this one's name?"

"That's a praying mantis, baby."

"And what do praying mantises eat?"

"Um. I think they eat other bugs. And sometimes the mommy praying mantis gets cranky with the daddy praying mantis and eats him too."

That's just a small snippet of the daily conversations I have with the Beast. His copy of World's Weirdest Creatures is well-worn, and I have learned far more about bugs and other creepy crawlies than I have ever desired. Due to his autism, the Beast has developed an obsession not necessarily with insects, but in general of "what eats what." I have answered questions about what polar bears eat and what penguins enjoy eating, and I have also frantically googled the answers to such questions as "What do fireflies eat?" and "What do hornets eat?" He will often ask the same question throughout the day if he is fascinated with the answer. I try to change the subject, but he is very persistent. Every week, I peruse the library for other interests that he might enjoy, but for now, the kid is fixated on animal eating habits.

And while I certainly do not claim to be Jeeves, I am becoming quite the expert on the subject. . .