Giant Asian Mantis nymph

Description:

The first four photos were taken around 8:00 a.m. when the mantis was moulting. I returned at 11:00 a.m., hoping to see the exuvia, as well as the mantis, I discovered that I had left it too late. The mantis was still there and ti looked nice and "new" (as you can see in the last two photos), but the exuvia was gone. It was a windy morning and the exuvia might have been blown away, but I suspect that the mantis felt hungry after its contortions and probably ate it. I found some information on this aspect of mantis behaviour in - https://mantidforum.net/threads/eating-t......

Habitat:

This Giant Asian Mantis nymph was spotted in the farm on a leaf of Tropical Whiteweed (Ageratum conyzoides Linn.) known In the local dialect, where I live, as Salunay. Plant information - http://stuartxchange.com/Bulak.html....

Notes:

I feel that I should explain why Tropical Whiteweed is featured in most of my recent spottings. This dry season has been rather severe and most of the grasses and shrubs have died, but Tropical Whiteweed is very hardy and, so far, it is still producing foliage. So, it is providing some shelter and sustenance for herbivorous insects and their predators. The good news is that the rains should be arriving in the next few weeks.