Nature - A tiny predator in my garden

Well, actually a few of them but spotting them is rather challenging. Whilst watering the lavender this morning I came across a family of Praying Mantis

A praying mantis is a type of insect known for its distinctive appearance and predatory behavior. It gets its name from the way its front legs are positioned, as if in a praying posture. Mantises have triangular heads, large compound eyes, and elongated bodies.

Not a great photograph but had many times zoom. Also he / she was swiveling her head watching me.

They are carnivorous, feeding mainly on other insects, and are skilled hunters. They use their powerful front legs to snatch prey with lightning speed. Praying mantises are also known for their camouflage, blending into their surroundings to ambush prey or avoid predators. Females sometimes exhibit sexual cannibalism, eating the male after mating.

Errrrr, based on this information I suspect that this is the female {shiver}

A younger one really well camouflaged

It was exciting to find these in our relatively new garden .... now we can only hope for a chameleon family to establish themselves in our garden.

Thanks for stopping by.

Namaste