You’ll Never Believe What Was On the Watermelon I Bought at a Colorado Costco

There are certain deals at Costco that last all year. A tasty watermelon is one of those. I don't ask questions about the availability of decent watermelons in February at Costco. I just enjoy it.

The watermelon I bought the other day came with an extra surprise beyond the sweet juicy goodness I look forward to. As I was pushing my cart through the Costco parking lot I noticed something sitting on my watermelon. A praying mantis!

Technically, we're supposed to call them "mantids," not "mantis" as that is way too specific for most of us to determine. Either way, this insect is adorable, incredibly designed, and quite the predator.

Get our free mobile app

According to my favorite local entomologist at Colorado State University, Whitney Cranshaw, "Mantids are very distinctive insects. All have front legs which are large and well-designed for grasping prey. The segment of the body containing these legs (prothorax) is very elongated as is the overall body form. Mantids also have the ability to easily turn their heads in order to see in all directions and have widely spaced eyes that give them excellent binocular vision."

After I noticed the mantid on my watermelon I had to figure out how to save it from the hot, busy Costco parking lot that would surely be a grim outcome. I found the nearest tree and lifted the watermelon to it. The mantid climbed off and immediately started cleaning its foot. It would be hard to convince me that this video I took is not the cutest thing you've seen today. That face! Perhaps it was cleaning off little bits of my watermelon.