I swear I'm never touching this tree again. This was the third giant (3" or better) bug that I've seen here. The first was an extremely large (for Florida) scorpion that actually tried to chase me. The second was a humongous spider perfectly mottle to match the bark. And now this...
If I hadn't caught a glimpse of movement, I would never have known that it was there. Any ideas? I've never seen anything like it.
The legs looks spiderish, but I can only count four.
Its head was more reminiscent of a praying mantis with those big bulby eyes, but I didn't think a mantis had antenna like this.
I would post that on the FL forum. I can think of a couple people who might know what that is.
Your close to me, and I would like to know. Interesting creature...thats for sure
Not one you want to put your hand on or near, for sure. I inspected the trunk carefully before I leaned my hand against it. As I said, I have a history with this particular tree. This joker moved as I was pulling my hand away. He is super fast. It took two of us out there because he kept moving to the opposite side of the trunk.
He just looks like a predator, doesn't he?
The more I have thought about this bug today, the more I'm convinced that it has got to be some kind of Praying Mantis. The head is right. They generally have that fan shaped kind of tail and I saw a picture of one in the insect book that has that kind of legs. The part that has me stumped is the middle. I can see the center body - perhaps he has a wide front leg which are tucked right up next to the body.
I went back to try to see him again, but he was gone. There are some peas nearby with aphids. I'll check there. I would like opinions if anyone has any ideas.
I think you're right about it being a mantid. It looks like this Grizzled Mantis, Gonatista grisea
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2006/10/29/grizzled-mantis-4/
typos..
This message was edited Sep 4, 2009 3:18 PM
My first thought was it is a cross between a spider and a lizard.
Helen
That is it! It's funny that each one on What's That Bug looks just a little different. They must differentiate to blend in with whatever the lichen and bark look like in that area. Very interesting.
Eat, baby, eat. I was a little worried when I went back to look later because there was a very young Fence Lizard on the tree and the bug was certainly big enough to eat the lizard. Hopefully he'd moved on back up the tree.
Thanks a bunch!
