Traffic Light Mantid!
We discovered that this species of mantid can change colour. Much like a chamaeleon, it changes its body colour according to what background it is on. We put this individual on a Valerian flower and over three days it changed to a startling pink colour.
Flower mantid on green backgroundThe African Flower mantid on a leafy background.
still greenWe then put it on a pink valerian flower.
turned pink to match its backgroundThree days later ..
We tried it on other coloured flowers; it managed a murky orange colour but didn't do blue or yellow.