Ground Mantis
Litaneutria skinneri
In ponderosa woodland on the Mogollon Rim east of Payson. Horton Creek, Gila Co., Arizona, USA. 25 Aug. 2019. About 20 mm in length.
Mantidae -- a Preying Mantis Family (there are several)
The preying manitises familiar to most people are found upon foliage or especially flowering plants. By contrast the ground mantises are very difficult to see because their camouflage is so precise. Until they move they cannot be distinguished from a fallen twig. Like other mantises they mostly sit still waiting to ambush a soft-bodied insect.