No, You’re Not Camouflaged


What’s your problem? she wants to know.
Praying Mantises are usually difficult to spot because they look like a stick among other sticks on a shrub or in a tree. A burgundy chrysanthemum is definitely not good cover.
It’s actually from 2008, before I began photo-blogging, but it’s one of my favorites. Usually, finding a praying mantis is a surprise as they are typically so well camouflaged while waiting for a hapless insect to land nearby, but deep rose-colored chrysanthemums are hardly a foil for a long, slender pale green insect!
They aren’t fearful of humans so I could get close and take quite a few photos. I was watching its tongue flick in and out as it tasted/smelled the air, and I have a few photos of it cleaning its front legs as well.
Spending time with a living creature so different from one’s self is always an interesting experience.
Here are a few other photos of these little sticks.

I know there’s an insect somewhere in this chrysanthemum.
. . . . . . .
For a print of any photo, visit “purchasing” for availability and terms.
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October 29, 2014 | Categories: autumn, praying mantis | Tags: autumn, insects, outdoors, photography, praying mantis | Leave a comment
Really Bad Camouflage


What’s your problem? she wants to know.
Praying Mantises are usually difficult to spot because they look like a stick among other sticks on a shrub or in a tree. A burgundy chrysanthemum is definitely not good cover.
It’s actually from 2008, before I began photo-blogging, but it’s one of my favorites. Usually, finding a praying mantis is a surprise as they are typically so well camouflaged while waiting for a hapless insect to land nearby, but deep rose-colored chrysanthemums are hardly a foil for a long, slender pale green insect!
They aren’t fearful of humans so I could get close and take quite a few photos. I was watching its tongue flick in and out as it tasted/smelled the air, and I have a few photos of it cleaning its front legs as well.
Spending time with a living creature so different from one’s self is always an interesting experience.
. . . . . . .
For a print of any photo, visit “purchasing” for availability and terms. For photos of lots of black cats and other cats—and even some birds as I first published this post there—visit The Creative Cat.
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October 22, 2013 | Categories: autumn, praying mantis | Tags: autumn, insects, outdoors, photography, praying mantis | Leave a comment
Praying Mantis, 2010

It’s actually from 2008, before I began photo-blogging, but it’s one of my favorites. Usually, finding a praying mantis is a surprise as they are typically so well camouflaged while waiting for a hapless insect to land nearby, but deep rose-colored chrysanthemums are hardly a foil for a long, slender pale green insect!
They aren’t fearful of humans so I could get close and take quite a few photos. I was watching its tongue flick in and out as it tasted/smelled the air, and I have a few photos of it cleaning its front legs as well.
Spending time with a living creature so different from one’s self is always an interesting experience.
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September 26, 2012 | Categories: autumn, flowers, insects, outdoors, praying mantis | Tags: autumn, chrysanthemums, insect, nature, nature photography, outdoors, photography, praying mantis | Leave a comment
Praying Mantis
Here’s the larger version of the photo in the header.
It’s actually from two years ago, before I began photo-blogging, but it’s one of my favorites. Usually, finding a praying mantis is a surprise as they are typically so well camouflaged while waiting for a hapless insect to land nearby, but deep rose-colored chrysanthemums are hardly a foil for a long, slender pale green insect!
They aren’t fearful of humans so I could get close and take quite a few photos. I was watching its tongue flick in and out as it tasted/smelled the air, and I have a few photos of it cleaning its front legs as well.
Spending time with a living creature so different from one’s self is always an interesting experience.
Share this:
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
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September 26, 2010 | Categories: autumn, flowers, insects, outdoors, praying mantis | Tags: autumn, insect, nature photography, outdoors, photography, praying mantis | Leave a comment