Okay, I didn’t at all plan to post another praying mantis image so soon. But, you gotta roll with what comes at you. I was doing some grilling for lunch. Right beside the patio are these lantana that were just abuzz with these cute little skippers. I couldn’t resist and went into predator (almost a pun) mode, stalking these flighty little buzz bombs. One landed real near and sat still long enough (too long) for me to inch closer, focus and click off a couple of frames.

Then in a flash (pardon the pun) the little skipper disappeared. I figured he just got spooked and took flight. As I started to pull away I caught (okay, almost another pun) sight of the little yellow fellow. He was in the grasp of a previously unseen stealthy preying mantis. He was quickly being consumed for lunch. In the span of less than a minute there was nothing left but a couple of wings.  Evidently the mantis don’t like wings, he spat them out.

I swear I heard a whimper followed by a slight burp. Never heard grace said from the praying er preying mantis.

eat em where you find em ††† en theos ††† jim work