European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa)

After an enforced absence of four years, I recently got to visit a couple of sisters & other family members in the mountains about an hour away from Naples, which I'm told is in Italy?

Much to their collective surprise, both a mad dog and this Englishman went out in the midday (+30c) sun to look for local wildlife.

The first of several treats was this European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa).

And what an experience it was given Mantids do not extend as far as the UK, although that may be set to change, and this was my first Mantis experience in the wild.