garden visitors

The other day I saw the hummingbird again. Hadn't for weeks. It was flying around the Marigolds, and then the Cosmos at the back of the garden. Recently I also saw a large black butterfly with blue spots on the edges of its wings. Beautiful, but I have no idea what it was!

But the real thrill was this morning, Isa found a preying mantis on the window outside.

When we approached to look closer it fluttered down onto her apple plant.

I caught it and moved into the garden proper.

Here it is looking at me!

I do hope he hangs around to eat some of our pests. This mantis is twice as big as the last one we saw. I wonder if it's the same one, just grown?