Backdoor guests

We found this critter right outside our backdoor last week. We see a lot of praying mantis around our yard and the kids love them. I'm not overly fond of any large bug. I'm not really scared, but they'll give me a scream if I see them and not expecting it, they just give me the eebie geebies. Anyway, this guy hung around the backdoor for a day then moved up.....

onto my actual backdoor. That gave me a scare when I opened the door.

I left him there though until the kids came home from school and got to ooooh and aaaaah over it. It gave me a chance to snap a good close up. He looks really cool that close up, I zoomed in with my camera though. I surely wasn't gonna get that close to it!