The Shot: Mantis Dance

It's about the little things.

While tending to my basil a few weeks ago, I came across a tiny praying mantis -- just a baby, but already in full attack mode, hunting for insects.  How it got all the way up to my deck, I haven't a clue.  I grabbed the camera and began to snap, adjusting my own distance to allow my macro setting to work best.

Incidentally, always wear a wrist strap or neck strap or some other means of attaching your camera to your body.  A multi-story drop is not ideal for your equipment.

As it turns out, basil is not only tasty, it's beautiful to photograph.  And it apparently provides a good starter home for one of my favorite insects.

Trying to move the pot to get a better angle only startled it -- even in a controlled environment, you can't control everything. 

It stuck around for a couple of weeks, growing a bit.  I haven't see it for awhile now; at first, I thought it was just hiding in the ever bushier leaves, but by now, I'm pretty sure it's gone off in search of better hunting grounds.