Possible ID.
If this is South African and has naturalized itself in New Zealand then I would say it is a male Large Green Mantis,(Sphodromantis gastrica). Easy to keep and great fun to watch feeding. In its own country it feeds on caterpillars but probably has adapted to flies in NZ.
South Africa has some absolutely spectacular mantids, especially the group that are known as the Flower Mantids. I kept one for a year and every fine day I would put it on a large hedge of honeysuckle for it to roam around and catch its prey. The only problem was finding it in the evening to bring indoors.
Look up Pseudocreobotra wahlbergi on the www. and see if you can find a picture.
The pictures are rather different and have a muted feel which makes a nice change to the pin sharp image that is normally associated with macro photography.
BW. Bob F.
