Praying Mantis

I always thought this stick-like insect was called a "preying mantis" because it is a formidable predator, or so it says on the National Geographic website. That's also where I noticed the spelling, and learned that it is a PRAYING mantis, so-called because of the position of its two front legs. So praying must be correct. National Geographic wouldn't be wrong, would they? Today was a beautiful day here in northeast Ohio, with the high temperature only in the 70s. It was a great afternoon for a walk in the park, so that is where I headed, hoping to find a blip. Imagine my surprise when I spotted this fellow posing on top of the sign post, almost as if he (or she maybe) had been waiting for me to come along. I've seen preying mantises before, but I've never seen one pose like this.

Some interesting facts:
- Average life span in the wild: 12 months
- Diet: carnivore; eats moths, crickets, flies, and such
- Mantids can turn their heads 180 degrees to scan for prey.
- They have two large compound eyes and three simple eyes between them.

And one rather revolting fact: They will also eat their own kind. Most notoriously, the female will sometimes eat her mate just after, or even during, mating. Apparently this doesn't deter the males from reproduction.