jefflebold

Thank you J.S. Geiger

When I saw your post I thought Wow!, these insects just keep getting more and more amazing as I learn about them. Spewing hot chemical smokey stuff. It's right out of a science fiction movie. But real! I learned a lot about the Bombardier beetle after learning that they even existed via your post. Thanks again for posting it. Amazing!

I think it is a Bombardier beetle. Maybe Brachinus sp. I have never heard about such a defense mechanism of a beetle spraying a plum of smoke. I am just reading about them now and it seems to be a hot chemical that they spew. Very interesting. You are lucky to see such a thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier...

Looks like a Blue Jay.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue...

Great photos! I didn't know praying mantis can have such good camouflage. I think it is a Dead Leaf Mantis (Deroplatys dessicata)
Here is a reference page:
http://www.jonathansjungleroadshow.co.uk...

Wow! Nice photo!

Wow. Awesome photo!

Wow! That is a big one! It looks like a large Carolina Mantis that I see here in North America (Stagmomantis carolina). That one appears to be a female. Very nice photo.
Reference: http://www.dpughphoto.com/mantids.htm

Also, I just learned that there is such thing as a Brown Widow Spider.
http://cisr.ucr.edu/identifying_brown_wi...
Maybe one of those, good luck!

It looks like a Black Widow Spider. But, it may not be. Here is a link to help identify a Black Widow.
http://www.wikihow.com/Identify-a-Black-...