I was searching my way through our bed of lantana hoping to find my big praying mantis. Not that I need to add to my collection of images of him, he is just so darn interesting to watch. I could see  evidence of his having been around. At the floor of the lantana there were such a pile of various little wings and bug parts that I felt just a bit like Ezekiel in the valley  of dry bones.

Amongst the carnage, clinging to the underside of a leaf, I spied the smallest of a pair of ball like eyes. This was such a small specimen with a 1/2 to 3/4 inch wingspan. He was hunkered so deep in the plant that he was difficult to get at.  I set a couple of small flash units to light him, and eased my way down to within 3-4 inches the staring eyes. The flashes caused him to stir and move just enough as to show his top side.

He had the appearance  of having been constructed of cellophane. Semi transparent with an assemblage of supporting veins. I crawled and wrangled as to afford a decent full view of it’s beauty. I lay there in this twisted upside down position for as long as my own dry bones would allow. I sit early this morning on an ice bag trying to numb the life back into my hips.

But it was certainly worth the view and to experience and ponder more of the true unexplained purpose and cause of such beauty.

Watch for a little glimpse of the beauty that lies in wait all around you. ††† en theos ††† jimwork