One of my very favorite predators: The Preying Mantis

I found this cute little fella last fall, and brought him home. Eventually, I let him go, and I'm sure he probably froze during the winter. Mantids are some of nature's greatest predators, and I am very fond of them, as they are AMAZING fly catchers. They are predators, not scavengers; if you put a dead fly in front of them, they probably won't touch it. However, if you can just maim a fly, and set it down in front of the mantis, he'll wait patiently, and when the fly goes for the getaway, BAM!! The mantis will grab him in his barbed, folded arms, and have a nice feast. They are pretty fun to watch. There is a great youtube series, which includes a video about the mantis; it's called "True facts about the Mantis." It's a little crass, but hilarious.

http://youtu.be/0aSCPmabRpM