Insects - Ever see one of these?

[Peter Elovich]

Incredible amount of information fellas! As I mentioned, i've only seen a few of them ever, and this was the first and only time it was easy to take a picture of one.

I have seen greens ones and the type that can change colors.

One site I found on the internet had a warning to NEVER release a pet one due to its ability to reproduce without mating. It had a few pictures of infestations where they were EVERYWHERE!

[Kevin Jones]

Then there's "Stick Bug's" cousin "Leaf Bug".
Saw this fellow out yesterday and it reminded me of this thread.

[Peter Elovich]

Looks like a 'praying mantis" Kevin.

A bit of thread drift: I didn't have a camera (had my trusty binoculars though) with me unfortunately, but saw some amazing wild fowl action the other day.

I had been sitting by the Farmington River in People's Forest and in flies a LARGE Blue Heron. Across the way were a few ducks and a cormorant hanging out near the ducks. I think herons are somewhat majestic creatures, and others i've seen appeared VERY timid and solitary creatures.

This one took exception to the cormorant being there, and proceeded to attack it by puffing out its wings and lunging towards the cormorant. The cormorant retreated to a perch atop some dead tree branches while the heron proceeded to scavenge food along the rivers edge. It was quite a show!

Peter