lest we be overrun with fearsome creatures like this.
It's actually an ice sculpture. Really. (Full page view here.) The source had no information as to where or when it was constructed, but this New York Times article (reg. required) possibly describes it:
"On cold days, they make sculptures that are more intricate and elegant," Mr. Zehnder explained. "On the hotter days, they have to be more solid." The ideal temperature is 15 to 25 degrees. In 2001, when the temperature hovered at around 15 degrees, a team from the Detroit area created a 12-foot praying mantis with legs no bigger than broomsticks. "A friend of mine, a professor at a community college, pointed out that not only was the sculpture a great piece," Mr. Zehnder said, "but it was anatomically correct."