For the last several months, a shrub in the front yard has been the home to the biggest Praying Mantis I have ever seen; she was almost as long as my hand, probably about five inches.
This mantis was very well camouflaged, her gray and green coloring blending so well with the vegetation that some days I could look for several minutes before I finally spotted her. Given her coloring, I believe she may have been either a Chinese Mantis, Tenodera sinensis, or a California Mantis, Stagomomantis california.
I first saw her in November. She moved slowly around the shrub, but usually not very far. A few weeks ago, she had moved over to the lavender bush on the other side of the walk. She stayed there for several days, but now seems to have moved elsewhere. I miss seeing her, but she may still be around.
