3:00 snapshot #1409 plus bonus insects of Franklin Park

[urbpan]

Office window.



Up by the Tropical Forest building we had a visiting Chinese mantid. Zookeeper Laura wants to hold it. Kikipuff looks concerned but she's probably not.


A yellow jacket worker chews at wood, to gather pulp to help expand the nest. Can't tell for sure (someone could, especially from the video below) but I strongly suspect this is a German yellow jacket; in other words, both of these impressive insects may be foreign invaders. Cool behavior though, wanna see?: