Hymenopus coronatus, the orchid mantis, is a remarkable creature. Against any opponent but a careful entomologist with a cardboard box, the mantis is a lethal hunter and master of camouflage. Its four front legs, head and thorax are covered in delicate structures resembling colorful flower petals. In appearance, it looks like nothing so much as a praying mantis covered in beautiful painted fans.
蘭花螳螂(Hymenopus coronatus)是一種非凡的生物。對付任何對手，螳螂是一個致命的獵人，是偽裝大師，昆蟲學家需要用一個紙板箱並且小心翼翼，才能對付它。它的四個前腿，頭部和胸部覆蓋著精緻的結構，類似於五顏六色的花瓣。從外觀上看，它看上去無非是被美麗的彩繪風扇所覆蓋的螳螂。
As for its behavior, like any good mantis, it is an ambush predator. It takes full advantage of its unique appearance, settling amongst the petals of orchids and awaiting visiting insects. It favors butterflies and moths for its meals, but will happily take any insect on offer. Indeed, it need not even be an insect: particularly voracious orchid mantises have been known to feed on small lizards, frogs, mice and even birds.
至於它的行為，就像任何優秀的螳螂一樣，它是伏擊捕食者。它充分利用了其獨特的外觀，在蘭花的花瓣間安頓下來，等待昆蟲的到來。它偏愛蝴蝶和飛蛾作為飯食，但樂於接受任何昆蟲。確實，它甚至不必是昆蟲：眾所周知，特別貪婪的蘭花螳螂以小蜥蜴，青蛙，小鼠甚至鳥類為食。
Its behavior among its own kind is no different. Like many mantises, orchid mantises are opportunistic cannibals. They don't go out of their way to devour their own kind, but should one stray into striking range of another when it's feeling peckish, it may well become a meal. H. coronatus is not recorded as performing the praying mantis's infamous reproductive cannibalism, however.
它在自己的種類中的行為也不例外。像許多螳螂一樣，蘭花螳螂是機會主義者，也會戕害同族。他們不會竭盡所能地吞噬自己的種類，但是如果一隻蘭花螳螂感到飢餓的時候，有另外一隻螳螂誤入其攻擊範圍，那它很可能會成為一頓美餐。但是，蘭花螳螂沒有記錄到在繁衍過程中性食同類的現象。
Its relationship to humans is neutral, verging on positive. H. coronatus is not an ally of the committed gardener like the aphid-devouring ladybug, but it will nibble on any pests that present themselves. Aside from that, the orchid mantis is only valuable to humans for its extraordinary beauty.
它與人的關係是中立的，與人之間是積極的關係。蘭花螳螂不會像瓢蟲那樣，吞食蚜蟲，成為忠於職責的園丁的盟友，但它也會蠶食任何出現在身邊的害蟲。除此之外，人類喜歡蘭花螳螂，概因其非凡的美麗。
Hymenopus coronatus is an example of a unique form of beauty that exists only in nature, careless of human judgment, designed for function rather than form, but still capable of making an observer catch their breath at its strange loveliness.
蘭花螳螂有一種獨特的美，這種美麗形式僅存在於自然界中，無需人為評判，為功能而設計，而不是為形式而存在，但仍然能夠使觀察者因其奇特的可愛而屏住呼吸。