A tourist named Xu discovered a rare orchid mantis, resembling a delicate flower, in southwestern China.

The incredible video was filmed in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province on 9 March.

This rare find owes its name to its remarkable resemblance to orchid flowers. With hues ranging from white and pink to soft lavender, the orchid mantis has mastered the art of mimicry, using its captivating appearance to lure unsuspecting prey, including flies, mosquitoes, and dragonflies. The females, in particular, are known for their floral façade, attracting male mantises in a display of predatory deceit.

Predominantly solitary creatures, they reside in tropical rainforests, favouring the solitude of tree leaves and flowers. Their hunting strategy involves patiently waiting for prey to venture close enough before swiftly capturing them with their formidable forelegs.

The video was provided by local media with permission.

近日，徐先生在云南西双版纳旅游时，偶然发现了一只犹如花朵般美丽的螳螂。这只螳螂身体和四肢呈粉红色，如同花瓣一般绚丽夺目。

据了解，这种螳螂名叫“兰花螳螂”是一种生物特征异常迷人的昆虫，其学名源自其外貌与兰花的相似之处。

兰花螳螂有着白色、粉色、或淡粉紫色的身体，这种外观是为了模仿兰花来吸引猎物，如其他昆虫，特别是雌性兰花螳螂更是模仿兰花的花朵，以吸引雄性螳螂。

这种伪装不仅使它们在猎物面前更具隐蔽性，也增加了它们捕猎的成功率。

兰花螳螂通常生活在热带雨林中，它们是独居的昆虫，喜欢待在树叶或花朵上。它们主要以捕食其他昆虫为生，如蝇、蚊子、蜻蜓等。

在捕猎时，兰花螳螂会静静地等待猎物靠近，然后迅速伸出前螯，将猎物抓住。它们的前螯非常强壮，可以迅速抓住并击晕猎物。

除了其独特的外观和捕猎方式，兰花螳螂还因其在养殖中备受欢迎。许多昆虫爱好者喜欢将兰花螳螂养在家中作为宠物，因为它们不仅外形美丽，而且相对容易照顾。