Larry is a Hymenopus Coronatus from the
tropical forests of Southeast Asia, better known as
orchid mantis. She is one of several species
known as flower mantises. This species is characterized by brilliant
colouring and a structure finely mimicking parts of the orchid flower.
The four walking legs resemble flower petals, and the toothed raptorial
forelegs are used for grasping prey.
Larry is a lurking hunter, which is typical for many mantis species. She
likes to hang upside down on branches and plants waiting for an insect
to come close. If an insect makes the fatal mistake of confusing Larry
with a flower, thinking they can find nectar there, they find themselves
in her clutches before they notice their mistake, as orchid mantises
have a strike time of under 60 ms.