OK, so somebody wants you to make a praying mantis.
Started with a railway spike - drew out the middle section and forged the triangular head shape. Spot welded eyes with the Mig, forged the wings from light flat bar and the legs from 6mm square. The big front grabber legs were forged in one piece from 12mm square - spikes chiselled in. Nails for the antennae.
The last pic shows one I made from junk - an old spring-handled chipping hammer body, plier bits for front legs, old reo for other legs, a shovel handle for wing covers and nail feelers.
I prefer the forged ones - by the time you search around for the right bits of junk, it's faster to forge them. I tried a few of different sizes.

Anyway, here's what they look like:
     

These are great! Thank you for sharing. The chipping hammer body on the last one has given me inspiration. I have a couple dozen of them salvaged from the scrap bin where I used to work ;)

 

Scott

Very cool, I like them.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Thanks Scott. Yes, those chipping hammer handles are useful for all kinds of insect bodies. I wish I had more of them. (I guess the shape wouldn't be too hard to forge by wrapping some 6mm bar.
And thanks Frosty - I guess where you are, you would be hard pressed to find a real mantis as a model! Lots of 'em here.

They are great subjects! You have done them justice! I have seen hordes of tiny ones on my place. One fall I found one that was over six inches long! I had not realized that they could grow to such dimensions!!!

Wow, that's really awesome. Love the attention to details n very gifted. Frosty just has to worry about those steel eating termites up there.smile.
Hard to believe how many skilled smiths there are out there today. Really enjoy the pictures guys.

fantastic work  . Christmas presents for all the relatives

Beautifully done! You really captured the essence of the Mantis.

They are going in my picture morgue. Well done