Soothsayer or prophet
Today I found this Praying Mantis. I have learned new words and parts of the Praying Mantis that I have never really looked at before. So I’m sharing some of this new knowledge that I have gleaned from the world wide web and my books. Greek for mantis means ‘soothsayer, prophet’. There are 12 species of Stagmomantis according to BugGuide.
This one is Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina).This is male because the wings extend to the end of abdomen. Males measure about 2.5 inches. Female apparently have short wings and a wide body.
Top view. The mantis has two compound eyes and three simple eyes (ocelli). The three ocelli are the three spots on the very top by the antennas. The ocelli detects light and the compound eyes detects movement and depth vision. The ocelli are what made me want a closer look.
Underside.
Rear.
Here is Praying Mantis egg mass called an ootheca on my lawn chair. I often find them on barbwire fences.
Cool creatures!
The Bois d’arc (Maclura pomifera) leaves made a cool shadow pattern where the insects had been eating.
Milkweed seeds of the Green-flower Milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora)