This is an adult female Asian Ant Mantis (Odontomantis planiceps). Measuring at only 2cm when fully grown it is easy to miss how beautiful she is! I had to bust out the camera to really appreciate this small yet stunning mantis. During the first few instars these mantids are very quick and look like little black ants, hence the common name. Batesian mimicry at it's finest (a form of mimicry where a harmless species has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species directed at a predator of them both)!
Outstanding capture!
Thank you!!! 😊