All mantids of the Empusidae family are picturesque, plant - mimicking insects, decorated with various elegant and stylish protuberances and flap - like appendages.
So I'm very glad that one of those species, the Empusa pennata, lives here in my area, the Istra peninsula in northern Adriatic. The mantis on this photograph is a young one. Is not a completely developed version of this species and lacks the functional wings. The adult Empusa pennata mantis has a pair of large wings, that in combination with the lightweight, twig - like body, gives the species a very solid aerial capabilities. Definitely a better flyer than the common European mantis, that shares the same Mediterranean habitats in which I also spend most of my free time.
They like dry and sunny areas with thorny shrubs, coastal meadows and intricate bush ... types of habitat that abound here where I live. On this photograph is another young exemplar, climbing on some dried out plant, early in the morning at the peak of summer.
(Enlargeable)When young, they come in a cool variety of cryptic coloration (which means camouflage) ... you already saw the olive green - pink version on the opening photograph ... and on this enlargeable photograph is a version completely in light brown, standing on the rock near the sea. On the following photograph ...
... is a very different, vividly brown, almost red version. They usually choose the surroundings that best fit their colors ... I arranged this shot so that the mantis could be visible against the clear blue sky ... but actually ...
(Enlargeable)... she was camouflaged among the red - brown foliage, and was very well hidden ... as you can see on this enlargeable photograph.
Here is another pale, almost completely gray version on the green asparagus plant, and it may look that this mantis has failed in its mimicry ... but ... you can always find plenty of small gray twigs and various dried out plant parts fallen from the neighboring vegetation in the intricate bush ... so once again, the Empusa pennata is well hidden from predators and in the same time ready for ambushing the prey.
Here you can see a classic ambush pose on the thorny Scolymus hispanicus plant ... and on the following photograph ...
... the completely developed, winged and adult Empusa pennata female. The males are even more slender and have interesting feather - like antennae ... but I don't have any adult male photograph currently ... I hope that I'll get at least one shot of the male this summer. What else can I tell you about this species? Well ... I'm a big Empusa pennata fan :) Look, how not to love this insect ... it looks like something out of Science Fiction or Mythology, like a strange ancient warrior or a space invader of some kind. It's a small but spectacular animal. And now ...
... with the closing shot of the same mantis that you saw on the opening picture, but photographed in a different way, without the external flash ... is time to end this little insect report from the northern Adriatic.
As always in these posts on Steemit, all the photographs are made by me.