Yes, Ana, I agree, the human "presence" in this pic definitely adds a lot!

That was quick! And well deserved. Congrats. And regarding BioLarzen's comment, I actually like the differentiated background - the green complements that of the mantis.

what a fantastic catch! sharpness is perfect!

That was quick. Congrats. Using your hand (or that of someone else) was a good ideas as it gives a good sense of scale.

Thanks to All for the comments and feature!

uncommondepth, it's a praying mantis. an excerpt about this rather interesting creature from wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praying_mantis):

"A praying mantis, or praying mantid, is the common name for an insect of the order Mantodea. Often mistakenly spelled preying mantis (a tempting mistake, as they are notoriously predatory) they are in fact named for the typical "prayer-like" stance. The word mantis derives from the Greek word mantis for prophet or fortune teller. The preferred pluralization is mantids, though there is some usage of mantes or mantises.

...

"Being a carnivorous insect, the praying mantis feeds primarily on other insects such as flies, butterflies, crickets, moths and spiders. However, it is not uncommon for larger mantids to consume small reptiles and even small mammals or birds.

"To capture their prey, mantids use their camouflage to blend in with the surroundings and wait for the prey to be within striking distance. They then use their raptorial front legs to quickly snatch the victim and devour it alive."

The mouth, eyes and tilted head are great! Gives this guy some real character, almost looks like he's surprised that you're taking his photo. :)