Tag Archives: Praying Mantis

Tiny Praying Mantis

I saw this praying mantis on a crown flower recently. It’s undoubtedly the smallest I’ve ever seen. It might also be the fastest moving mantis I’ve seen. It was zipping around, mostly trying to shake me off, I think!

A wing and a prayer

A praying mantis showing the patterns on its wings

This praying mantis was on the ground at work and likely to get stepped on, so I moved it to a safer spot. In the process, it opened its wings exposing the lovely markings on them.

Upon reflection

I saw this praying mantis on a window reflecting the nearby hillside. That and the strong shadow of the mantis is what I like about this image.

One of these is not a sparrow

Three House sparrows and a praying mantis on a rail

The praying mantis had been on the rail for some time when the sparrows arrived. I feared for its chances, but it remained very still and the sparrows never seemed to notice it, even though they hung around for a while.

Praying Mantis drinking

A praying mantis drinks from a puddle of water

I like scenes like this. We know they happen all the time, but don’t often get to see them, at least in my experience.

Praying Mantis waiting

This Praying Mantis spent several days on this Agave Attenuata, waiting patiently for food. There were bees all over the flowers and I think the mantis got some of them, as well as other insects.

I presumed the mantis was a female as it seemed to be getting bigger. A couple of days after taking these photos, the mantis disappeared but I saw an egg sac on a nearby tree, so maybe there will be more on the way!

Praying Mantis being shadowed

A Praying Mantis casts a shadow on a railing in Hawaii

It’s the end of another month and time again for Bushboy’s Last on the Card challenge. (See more responses here.) The top photo is the last one I took in May, a Praying Mantis that’s lucky to be alive after I nearly squashed it with a water bottle on the railing where it was perched.

The bottom photo is how I think the photo looks best, cropped and adjusted to focus attention on the mantis and its shadow.

Alright, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.

The current Friendly Friday challenge theme is ‘Close ups and Macros.’ See more responses here. Here’s a selection of some little creatures up close and personal.