Praying mantis with a shell?

Do a google image search..cool stuff..Mantis kick ass. I try to move a few indoors when i find them..kinda cool having them around the house, as long as bugs don't freak you out, and they kill other pests.

Me: "COOL! What's this that someone left for me on my table saw sled?!?!?"









Him/her: "Not so fast, Marijuana Man!"




As it proceeded to go into full ninja mode on me

curious2garden said:

What is on the abdomen, and back, of this Mantis?
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Its a normal female green mantis they turn grey or even purple in the fall. Not a shell its her wings. she looks fat so she's probably looking for a place to lay her egg clutch.