Hi! My name is Hannah! And I live deep in the rainforest of South East Asia with my mom, dad, and two older brothers!

I also have a pet praying Mantis!That's right! A praying Mantis! And not just any old praying mantis! But an Orchid Praying Mantis!

The reason she's called an Orchid Mantis is because she looks like an orchid flower! And because she looks like a flower, it's called camouflage.

Many creepy crawlies and animals want to eat her, but because Orchid here mimics, or looks like, a plant, she doesn't have to worry about the predators.

Since it's lunchtime for Orchid, I decided to help her find some food and stay away from the animals and insects, also known as predators, that might want to eat her.

So let's go Orchid!

Ah look Orchid! Looks like we found some cool creatures already! This is an Acacic Tree ant on a Maasrange tree. Yeah, big words, I know!

But what is really cool about the two species is that they are in a Symbiosis relationship also known as mutualism. What that means is that both the tree and ant get something out of what they are doing.

So here the tree gives the ant sweet nectar to eat, and the ants protect the trees from getting harmed from any other animal. Pretty cool right?

Yes yes I know you're hungry, come on! let's keep going...

Look! A Hawk Moth! Aw! You hungry for moths, Orchid? Alright, have at it, and be careful!

Even though it's sad to think that Orchid has to go and eat other bugs, she's a carnivore. A carnivore means that she only eats meats, so no she doesn't eat plants, no matter how good strawberries are.

Oh hey! There's a lizard! Wait... Where's Orchid?!?!

Ah! There you are Orchid, you scared me! Looks like you saw the lizard first didn't you? The reason Orchid is on my hat is because lizards eat bugs, mantis including.

So Orchid here is playing it safe. No Hawk Moth for you I guess.

Because both Orchid and the lizard want the moth, it creates this thing called a competition, meaning they are both competing for the same food. Let's keep going, I know you'll find something.

Look! A swallowtail butterfly! Look how pretty she is! As you can see, the butterfly is drinking nectar from the flower because it's an herbivore.

Herbivores are animals that eat only animals, pretty cool isn't it Or-

ORCHID NO!

Well... At least one of us is happy. Come on... Let's press on...

Huh.... Never seen this part of the forest... UGH! What's that smell?!

It smells like garbage! Ugh! And it's coming from that flower! Only a flower that smells this bad can only be the Rafflesia flower!

But look what's under there Orchid. Looks like the flower was some sort of parasite and ate away at the tree.

Hm? What's a parasite?

Well, a parasite is an organism that can live on or in another organism, sometimes resulting in death. So parasitism is almost always harmful to the other species.

So here, the parasite here would be the flower because it is taking life away from its host the tree.

A host is an organism that the parasite stays in for food or shelter. And I definitely wouldn't want to be any host to a parasite.

Ugh! The scent just won't go away! Smells so bad! You hate it too don't you Orchid? But surprisingly enough, the flies seem to like it.

That's strange. I don't think parasitic flowers would produce nectar... and flies don't really eat nectar...

Oh! I think I know why the flies are- OH THE SMELL! Let's get out of here, quick!

Now that, we're away, I can finally explain myself! Hey now! Don't fall asleep on me, we're just getting started!

I think the reason why the flies are going to the flower is because it eats gross things like garbage and dead animals.

So because the Rafflesia smells so bad, the flies think it's food. But they must be really disappointed seeing a flower rather than food.

And the Rafflesia flower must stink like that for a reason, and I think I know why. The Rafflesia needs the flies to help make more flowers. Like how bees do with flowers. But without the gross smell.

So the flower gets to be pollinated... But the flies don't get anything... It's a commensalism relationship, oh why didn't i think of this sooner?

A commensalism relationship is where one animal gets something but the other doesn't get anything! Oh, you're so smart Orchid! Come on! I want to get away from the smell as quickly as I can.

Look! A snake! Oh! And a lizard! Oh... I think the snake wants to eat the lizard. The lizard is automatically categorized as the prey.

And no, not pray, as in a praying mantis but prey, an animal that is about to be hunted down by the predator.

The snake preparing its predation for the lizard so he can attack!

Uh... I don't think I want to see how this ends... Let's continue on Orchid, it's about to be dark soon...

Hold it! Is that... what i think it is...

It is! It's an orangutan! Don't make any sounds Orchid! Look how big he is! Ah! And he's eating berries off those trees!

Even though orangutans eat berries, they also eat insects too, making them omnivores. If anything, we humans are omnivores because we ate plants and meats.