Basically, I found this small, mantis-like insect on a flower in my yard. I believe it isn't really a mantis in the true sense of the word (maybe a relative?), but when you see the real thing, it's long forelegs are held and waved about in a similar fashion, and the abdomen has rows of spines or barbs. I'd like to know what it is, but none of my books have anything like it. If it helps, I live in central Arizona. Fortunately I have a good digital camera, so here it is.....

That could be a male european mantid nymph, depending on your location. If you are, as I thought, in AZ; then it very well could be. A word of caution: Mantisis can snip off your finger easily, don't provoke them. Especially the females.

I'll watch out for this little guy, but he's about a third the size of a Lacewing. Thanx, but I'm not so sure. I'm fairly certain it's a mature adult. We have rather large, basic mantises around here in large numbers.

If you could get your hand on this book;

 

Johnson, N.F. and Triplehorn, C.A. 2004. Borror and DeLong's Introduction to the Study of Insects. 7th ed. Brooks Cole. 864 p.

 

And really it's a great pictures, I'm curious to know what species it is, however I don't think it's a mantid.

Thanx, I'll give it a shot. And yeah, I know it's not a mantid, but I don't know what the hell it might actually be, so that's how I'm referring to it for now.

It might be from the order Hemiptera (true bugs), and more precisely from the family Berytidae (Stilt bugs).

I know there are some forms of spider that simulate their prey.

 

Perhaps it is a specialised spider, that preys upon mantis young?

Certainly not. It had true antenna, two eyes, vestigial wings, and six articulated appendages, as well as three "body segments"

Yea I know,

I just wanted to throw in some sense of the diversity of the insect kingdom in there somewhere.

 

Those spike like structures protruding from the rear look like a starting point.

I think it is an assasin bug.

I agree. It looks like an assasin bug to me too.

Have you seen him feed? If he injects prey for external digestion, he could be an assassin bug. Assassin bugs usually have one combo injection/feeding tube to do this instead of two seperate ones. There's over 3000 species of them.

I tried to wait and see him catch something (there was only that last flower on the bush), but it got dark. I've been going back to the flower, but I haven't seen him. I'll do a web-search for some assassins, see if anything turns up. I'll grab a few bug books at the library todayor tomorrow too.

I think it is what we used to call "walking stick."

 

http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/walkingstick.html

seems a bit too colorful, and not quite lanky enough.

 

dont stick bugs tend to be brown, so they look like, you know... sticks?

there are many stick bugs, but no, this thing was definitely predatory, it was sitting tight on that flower waiting for a meal.

as for the assassin bugs...

 

all the pictures i can find online seem to show a feeding tube going back under the head. its hard to tell, but the creature in your picture doesnt seem to have one.

 

are there species of assassin bug that dont have this?

all the pictures i can find online seem to show a feeding tube going back under the head. its hard to tell, but the creature in your picture doesnt seem to have one.

Neither shot really shows the underside of the head. I think it can tuck up under a bit when not in use.

are there species of assassin bug that dont have this?

I think that's one of the things that distinguishes them. Most bugs that small that digest externally have one tube for the corrosive juices and another tube for feeding.

I jut zoomed in on a photo I hadn't realized i had. The folded beak is cearly there. An assassin bug it is, albeit an especially exotic one. I'll post closeup pics as soon as my new Dell gets hooked up.

I'll post closeup pics as soon as my new Dell[/b'] gets hooked up.

Someone had a nice birthday.

Yeah, and yesteday, I caught an adorable little Peach-Faced Lovebird in the park by my house. She's so sweet and friendly, and she keeps climbing into my clothes and fluttering around the house (I know that sounds normal, but it's hot here, so we leave the fans on)