18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Praying Mantis and beetle - a Dice with Death

We were hiking at Rock Point Provincial Park when my wife spotted quite large female Praying Mantis. I mounted my camera on a tripod and started shooting when this tiny beetle landed right on its forehead. Mantis looked kind of surprised and funny. The beetle eventually left and I continued my photoshoot with this cute model. At the end of the session the mantis walked over and climbed on a tripod and position herself behind the camera like she wanted to take some pictures of me.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2020
Date Uploaded: 11.2020
Photo Location: Dunnville, Ontario, Canada
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Copyright: © Rafal Dymarkowski