A very large bug is hidden on this white snakeroot stem in Schenley Park.
These facts from Wikipedia describe my guess at the species:
- It’s a predatory bug that eats mostly insects but has been known to eat hummingbirds as well.
- It will eat its own species if one gets too close.
- It’s native to China, Japan, Korea, Micronesia and Thailand.
- It was accidentally introduced to the U.S. in 1896 by a nurseryman in Mt. Airy, PA near Philadelphia. It’s now found throughout the Northeast.
- This species is a popular pet for insect enthusiasts.
- It normally looks like this.
I’ve never seen this particular insect perched in this position so I wondered if it was dead. I didn’t want to touch it to find out.
(photo by Kate St. John)
Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis) praying mantis
Praying mantis