This is a regular praying mantis. However, this guy just got done being chased for about 5 minutes by a cardinal. For him, his life and is a crazy chaotic mess right now. He has got an animal that is much larger than him attempting to eat him. This is the reason that he is all flailed out and trying to look as big as possible.
This is his attempt to frighten away the predator. And for whatever reason, it has apparently worked. For the bird left him alone and he is allowed to Live Another Day.
So what can we learn from this guy? I would say, that it doesn't matter what are size is, or how important we are to others. I believe, but sometimes life is more about perception than reality. It is my belief that whenever we feel the smallest, and the weakest, that it is the best time to do what we have to to make ourselves as largest life.
Also, as I watched this praying mantis come close to losing his life three or four times as the bird attempted to catch him, he gave me the feeling that we should never give up. No matter how scary or how unbelievable it is that we will make it through our trials and tribulations we must NEVER give up.
Here is another couple of pictures that I took of this guy. Because while some he may be a scary ugly creature, to me he is Simply Beautiful.
