The decoy

After finding three praying mantises last week, I have been hoping to find one or more of them again.  Praying mantises will hide in order to ambush their prey; thus, I have been scanning plant stems more carefully than usual.  Although I haven't had any luck finding the praying mantises, I did manage to find another inconspicuous insect -- a western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis).

From the side, the western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis) can easily be overlooked.

It is more obvious when seen from above.

While I was watching the bug pictured above, I suddenly had the feeling that something had fallen into my hair.  I instinctively flicked the object with my hand.  Luckily, I didn't grab the mystery object -- since it turned out to be another western conifer seed bug.  Though these bugs don't bite, they can release a noxious odor, similar to that of a stink bug.

The bug was initially knocked to the ground, but it recovered quickly and took flight.  I followed it until it landed in a nearby pine tree, which is one of its host plants.

A western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis) on a pine tree.