Praying Mantis

This is a Praying Mantis that I was able to snap some pictures of one day. The mantises or Mantodea have elongated bodies that may or may not have wings, but all have fore legs that are greatly enlarged and adapted for catching and gripping prey; their upright posture, while remaining stationary with fore arms folded, has led to the name praying mantises. Sexual cannibalism is common among most predatory species of mantises in captivity. It has sometimes been observed in the field, where about a quarter of male-female encounters results in the males being eaten by the female.