Praying...

……………………………..…Mantis



Mantis love dining on newly emerged monarch butterflies, and particularly the caterpillars. 

This South African one was found sitting in one of the swan plant bushes which is sporting a number of late season caterpillars! Yesterday I also discovered four mantis in this same bush.

Only two types of mantis are found in New Zealand. Of those only one is native, the other is an invader from South Africa that was evidently first found in Auckland in 1978. Since that time it has steadily made its way south displacing the native as it goes.


Morning sunshine turned to afternoon cloud with the promise of rain later. Now the stars are shining in the night sky. 




Thank you for the comments, stars and hearts for yesterday’s string of dried garlic.