It’s usually late-August, early-September, right around cricket season, that I start keeping an eye open for praying mantises. Growing up in northern California, I never saw one. So now I photograph them when I can. It’s been somewhat of a challenge to find them in the past but this year I’ve spotted at least 10. Last week, one even found its way into our bedroom.

I ran across this pair sowing the seeds of the next generation in our carport. The female quickly became bothered with my presence, rocking back and forth in annoyance. The male was less modest and didn’t seem care in the least I was documenting the moment.

I was surprised at the size difference between the genders. The female was most impressive, touting large spiky forearms, huge abdomen, and a symmetrical delta-shaped head. The male, well, the male looked kinda wimpy: small, skinny, and eyes way too big for his head. He was dwarfed by the female and looked more like a green tube with legs than praying mantis.

But what he lacked in size he more than made up for in virility. I spotted these two in the late morning and nearly four hours later they were still, um, coupled. Now I’ve read the female sometimes will eat the male after mating. Perhaps the poor guy was trying to formulate an exit strategy. Or maybe he was resigned to his fate and was gonna go out with (dare I say it?) one helluva bang.