Praying Mantis in Colorado

Albeit, not one of my best pictures ever, still quite a find!

"Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick," came a familiar rattle from the side of the trail. Although typically easily distinguishable as a grasshopper's wings flapping, this one gave me pause as it didn't move in any direction. I've never heard a rattlesnake in real life, so I was cautious. "Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick." Still in the same place, this time my ears lead my eyes in the direction and a spotted the rather large grasshopper's wings. I was about to go about my hike, when it struck me as something still unusual. "Tick, tick, tick, tick." The grasshopper was flapping, but not going anywhere for some reason. It was stuck. On a blade of grass, it looked like.

No, not a blade of grass. It was captured and being held by the back of its neck (do grasshoppers even have necks?) by this blade of grass.

Then I spotted the small limbs coming off the blade of grass, as it struggled to keep hold of the grasshopper, whose mouth was working and legs flailed as it desparately, and failingly, tried to excape.

A Praying Mantis in Colorado???

I was enchanted and sat down on the trail next to the feeding to witness it, with fascination and dismay I watched the praying mantis hold on as its pray slowly gave way to it's preditor. The grasshopper never stopped lurching and twitching, although the praying mantis let go with its death grip by its bite to begin feasting. Eyeballs seem to be the reward all preditors devour first.

Having come up with an anxious mind for my hike, seeking something I couldn't place my finger on, I saw this as my sign. I would not be the victim. I would not allow my carcass to be fed on. I went away empowered from the experience, knowing that I have control of my life. Empowered to fight off the praying mantis in my life while I still could.