Death in the Pines

Sunday Patty and I were enjoying our morning coffee on our new deck when Patty noticed a commotion in the reeds on the side of our pond. "What's that?" she asked.

Looking through the binoculars she saw this:

The cicada was still struggling, but the fight was already over.

The mantis was busy munching away on the cicada's face. Despite the occasional wing flutter and shaking it was clear who the winner was here.

As we worked in the yard throughout the morning we checked in on the mantis from time to time. It spent several hours on its meal, hanging in the same spot. Eventually we headed out, errands to run, things to buy. They were gone when we got back, with no sign of the struggle that had occurred that morning.

We've not seen a mantis since. The din of the cicadas is our soundtrack every night.