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Project Noah Nature School
Choeradodis rhombicollis
This hooded mantis is about 3½" long, of a medium green, and with some convincing blemishes which resemble diseased or chewed-on leaf disfigurements. It is quite flat in profile, and its forelegs are yellowish with a dark brown spot on the upper segment.
When first noticed, it was perching quite still on top of a big cecropia leaf of the same color, in rainforest on the foothills of the Maya Mts., in western Belize.
This is a great case of mimicry -- I looked at this hooded mantis on a cecropia leaf below my veranda for maybe twenty seconds, wondering where that "leaf" came from, before I realized what I was seeing. It was mostly cooperative during its photo shoot, but when I nudged it to turn it around it stood up and waved its front legs at me menacingly.
Spotted on Jan 25, 2016
Submitted on Jan 25, 2016
9 Comments
From your various suggestions I get the feeling you are well-versed in mantis lore. Hope your big dream comes true, Brian.
That is awesome! HUUUGEEEE breeding dream of mine!
What a cool creature with an extraordinary hood!
Thanks, folks. It was one of my more entertaining photo sessions. I love it when I can get more than one photo of my subject, and this mantis was VERY cooperative!
Another great spotting, Irene!
Really wonderful.
wow!
Thats quite a bug Irene! Very impressive, thanks for sharing it.
Woooww Great hooded mantis !!! Great spotting too ...