Last night before going to bed I was browsing through Flickr and came across some stunning macro shots of insects by Scott Cromwell. I spent quite a bit of time marveling over his images of mantises and was actually creeped out a bit by their bizarre appearance. As I was browsing the images I realized I hadn’t seen any praying mantises since our arrival to Israel last December and I wondered if they existed here.
Mantis Tries To Scare Dog by Scott Cromwell
The Poser by Scott Cromwell
This morning when I went to check my email I saw a praying mantis perched outside on the shutter of my studio window. He swiveled his head around to look at me as I sat down at my computer. I am not making this up. Did I just conjure the mantis up by musing over them or was it just a freaky coincidence?
My images aren’t nearly as spectacular as Scott’s but I think I get extra credit for going outside in my pajamas to get this shot.
Unexpected Visitor
And yet the story continues. After breakfast I went outside to do some weeding in our front yard. Just as I was ready to pull out a weed I spotted a miniscule recently-hatched mantis on the weed. I ran in to get my camera and managed to get a couple of shots of the little guy before he hopped away.
I wonder if he ate the critter that chewed the clover?
In this shot he has swiveled his head around to inspect me.
Volare Via 
Dear Lenora — Love the mantisses! Your observation is apt: mantids do like wet climes usually– isn’t the area you were in arid? Somebody tell Scott the matis didn’t eat the clover. Strict carnivores all, as far as I know.
I was the one who took the photo of the mantis and clover and made that erroneous supposition. I just checked Wikipedia and according to them (it?) “Mantises are exclusively predatory.” So, I guess the question should be, “I wonder if the mantis ate whatever it was ate the clover?”!
Dear Lenora– I read somewhere that the mantids are the only insects that can swivel their
heads. Yes , as far as your wee green friend is concerned, clover is food’s food.
Amazing creatures, aren’t they? BTW, I changed my photo caption…