Doug Le Du wrote, "I am hoping you can help me identify this flying creature captured on the evening of June 9 with a motion-sensitive camera with IR lighting about 9 pm. I have seen bats fly by this camera hundreds of times and at first dismissed this as just another bat fly-by. But then I paused the video and realized that not only is this NOT A BAT, but that I had no idea what this flying creature was.”

Naturalist Laura Baker took a detailed look. She wrote, “What a wonderful mystery! Here’s my guess – maybe a Praying Mantis? Males are known to fly around at night, come to lights and engage in bat avoidance maneuvers. Check. Mantids fly with their legs totally splayed out. General flight characteristics look like the Praying Mantises I’ve seen flying in the day.”

Here are the two short videos for you to see.

It's a fun mystery. I guessing a Forest Fairy! Let me know your guess.

Thanks to Doug for sharing his videos and photos with us here.

It's warm right along the bluffs, and downright hot further away from the ocean - a June heatwave. Lots of visitors have arrived, seeking relief from the inland heat and getting some necessary Vitamin Sea.