Encore

This is the same praying mantis that I blipped two days ago. She climbed to the top of the iron frame and then apparently had nowhere to go. I watched her for a long time as she gazed about. Eventually I decided to give her a break and moved her to the greenhouse. This afternoon she was sitting on sweet william flowers meticulously cleaning her feet one by one. Here she is holding her middle left leg in the “jaws” of her powerful front leg as she delicately grooms her foot.

When I looked out first thing this morning I was surprised to see the full moon about to set behind the nearby hills. I dashed for my camera and tripod, but the contrast between the bright moon and the dark landscape was too great. Taking two shots a few seconds apart with different settings only served to demonstrate how fast the moon appears to be moving at that point. It was faster than the minute hand of my 30cm kitchen clock.