tiny mantis

I found it when I was spraying for bugs in the garden (dishsoap and oil mixture) so halted doing so in its vicinity. On a new leaf of nasturtium-

It was so small, and so quick, I spent a long time trying to get a few photos. Then it moved into the denser growth of turtlehead- can you see it center of the picture (on the toothed leaf margin)?

I keep squishing mealy bugs and the occasional leaf hopper (little bright green ones and small wedge-shaped gray ones which have cute faces, darn them- none of the brilliant cobalt blue). Aphids are pretty nil, this year. Maybe my constant swiping of them last summer reduced their numbers a lot. I've found out where the japanese beetles regularly gather- on my patch of mailbox borage. Yesterday I caught and smahsed one there, today a mating pair. The mottled disease they spread among the plants, already it has decimated my three pepper plants and I removed them from the garden area, probably will have to throw out. I've been pinching damaged leaves off other plants seems to be keeping it in check. I saw the dragonfly a few times.

My potato plants are looking great, the chard is almost ready to cut again, the carrots and beets are nice and leafy, am picking more green beans and I have a nice cucumber! Tomatoes are still few and small. Cosmos of all things, looks fantastic this year, too. I think a lot of the plants are doing better since I turned over soil, dug out tree roots, removed tons of japanese beetle grubs, and have been using soap spray or dishwater regularly. Need to get more photos soon, but it's brutal hot out there. Almost time to siphon wigglers out of the sink bin to feed my fishes again.