Now I know one isn’t supposed to interfere, but the ‘Shpics Horrid Insect Team’, Preservation Division, (you probably know them as S.H.I.T.SAVE), found this fellow getting a severe twatting from a couple of belligerent sparrows.
Head insect specialist Priscilla Jones leaped into action with a screech of “Gerrofimyahbastards” while the rest of the team gathered cactus stems for temporary support before release back into the wild.
‘Peter’ (christened by Mrs Shpics who is a bit strange that way), after a couple of ‘wonky’ moments, seemed remarkably un-phased by the incident.
stuart allan hyde ______ 
thatisthegoodstuff
Wow what a great picture. It must of taken a long time to take. Check out my website at http://www.inspiringthroughthelens.com
Stuart Hyde - shpics
About a 60th of a second………
😉
alicethroughthemacrolens
Did you find that in England? I assume so if you were fighting off sparrows.
But it’s a Mantis.
We’re not supposed to have Mantises (Manti?) in England!
What next? A plague of locusts?
Uh ohhh …
Stuart Hyde - shpics
Hiya
Tis a spanish mantis, but the sparrers are much the same as the ones back home……(though their v’s sound like b’s when they tweet)..
🙂
scillagrace
I am also partial to horrid insects – oh, so fascinating! and I’m guessing with cacti at hand this was Spain…where ladies bite the heads off their mates.
Stuart Hyde - shpics
Luckily I have a very big head…….and the delectable Mrs Shpics has but a delicately proportioned ‘kisser’….
I will survive !
Helen Cherry
The more horrid insects the better in my book !
Stuart Hyde - shpics
Well thanks to the lightning reactions of the S.H.I.T.SAVERS this one’s still very much alive and kicking……
🙂