THIS poor lizard didn't have a prayer of hope once it was in the clutches of an insect with a monster appetite.
The unlucky gecko was taken on by a praying mantis — which normally sticks to eating insects.
But larger mantises are known to prey on scorpions, lizards and frogs, and this one clearly had no trouble finishing off the gecko.
The wildlife scene was captured on camera by Dutch photographer Jim Hoffman.
The 51-year-old came across this struggle in his back garden in Spain.
He said: "Both creatures are very common in Spain but a praying mantis will usually go for something much smaller than itself.
"It was clear the gecko was very unlucky.
"As a nature photographer I felt quite lucky to stumble across the scene because it's so rare but I did feel very sorry for the gecko.
"I've always been interested in smaller animals but I'm not sure why, I think it's something I've felt since childhood. It's in my genes.
"Photographing animals in free nature demands a lot of patience and perseverance.
"It's very important to know their behaviour and where and when you can find them."
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