Apparently, Australia has an estimated 160 species of praying mantises, I am not sure how many we get here at home.
But we see them, everywhere, brown and green, long and short.
Usually, the only time we see them at night is around hay season. In our region that runs from October to December.
And why do we see them?
They are out hunting and exploring as we are shedding hay bales.
We often joke if we see a female " stay away from that one could be a female" as they usually bite their mates heads off and use their bodies as the next meal....#lovesucks #lovebites #nextmeal
As kids, we called them stick insects..they are known to eat small frogs and lizards and some reports have them with being able to turn their heads 180 degrees.....creepy little buggers.
This is the first capture I got of one with its wings extended.
both images: #18-200Nikon F5.6 iso 400 1/30sec clarity adjustment in Ps
#australianprayingmantis #mantids #photosbysamhickscomau