Beautiful creature in garden

Hello all,

This is a Gonatista grisea, commonly known as the grizzled mantis. I discovered it in our garden. It was about the size of my thumb, resting on the trunk of a tree. While observing crawling ants on the trunk, I unexpectedly encountered this fascinating creature. It blended so well with the tree's color and texture that it was genuinely challenging to spot intentionally.

This was my first time seeing such a creature, and I believe it might have been patiently waiting for its prey. It seems to feed on small insects, possibly even smaller than ants. I attempted to approach it carefully without causing any disturbance. Using a macro lens, I was able to get close without any focus issues. Here are the results – I hope you enjoy them!

Thanks