If you have ever wondered why some mantids are green, some brown, and some are this lovely reddish color, here is why:
They change based on their environment! Not quickly like a chameleon, but with each molt. The color depends on what the predominant surrounding vegetation is like. This summer we have had a long, hot, and very dry summer. So much of the vegetation around here is brown or reddish brown. The mantids which live in those plants are now that color, while the ones who live in plants that stay green even in the hottest driest weather are still green.
You can't tell from the photo, but the lower portions of this grass are the exact color of this mantid. He is in the upper green portions of the grass stalking grasshoppers, which are themselves in the upper portions of these grasses advertising for mates this time of year.
What that tells me is that fall is coming quickly, and with it some of the most beautiful scenery in the country will be right outside my door. :)
Stay tuned!
