CLASS: Insecta; ORDER: Mantodea; FAMILY: Mantidae; GENUS: Mantidae family;
SPECIES: common name: Mantis
This MANTIS is bright green with wings that cover the full abdomen. The eyes change colour - they are pink during the day:
but change colour to ruby red at night:
The front claws are orange. The abdomen has yellowish spots on the underside. The thorax is yellowish underneath and has a pinkish wash on the edges. It moves quite rapidly and appears to be active by night and day. It grows to 50mm in length and eats small insects.
We seldom see these in Perth these days. I think when they sprayed for Argentine ants back in the 1940s many of this type of creature disappeared. I can't remember the last time I saw a grasshopper and one would be fortunate to see perhaps one mantis a year.
I just realised I'm a few days early.....I should have saved this one for Monday. : )