See a tiny and ethereal looking Peruvian Dragon mantis swaying back and forth on a person's hand. When full grown, this mantis is relatively large. The females typically grow up to 4–5 inches (10–12 cm) in length, while males are slightly smaller.
Like other mantises, the Peruvian Dragon Mantis ambushes its prey. It waits for prey (other small insects) to come close and then strikes with impressive speed. This kind of mantis has a fascinating behavior known as "flower mimicry," where it holds still and camouflages itself to look like part of a plant, making itself nearly invisible to potential prey before it lunges out and catches its lunch.
The name of this mantis is quite fitting, as it does look a lot like a dragon. It also looks like a real life pokémon. What a majestic little critter!
