A Gift for You

I feel like it's Christmas all over again, and I get to give you this precious gift (well, at least I can pass this gift along).

This is one of my new favorite insects. It is known as Hymenopus coronatus, or the orchid mantis. They are native to the rain forests of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Sumatra, though this particular specimen is a pet.

You'll see the nymph in the bottom photos. They begin life looking like army ants, and slowly, with each new melt, take on the coloration of their surroundings. In the second photo you can see that the legs are camoflaged to look like flower petals.

When full grown they dine on the usual plate of insects, grubs, and small lizards. When they are threatened they flatten themselves to look like flowers. But if attacked, they respond in kind.

As with everytime I post on mantids, I have the uneasy feeling that this bug knows something I don't. It's something in the eyes and those folded arms.

Thanks for letting me use your photos, Jenn. You have talent (and pretty pets).