Students from North Charleston High School had gorgeous weather as they made their way around the 1.75-mile boardwalk. Several Eastern Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus) were seen sunning themselves along with a Dark Fishing Spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus) carrying her egg sac and the Praying Mantis shown in the image.
A Praying Mantis generally eats other insects by waiting motionless to ambush and impale prey with their spiked front legs. However, some apparently are highly ambitious predators and take prey as large as a hummingbird! (see http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyardbirds/hummingbirds/mantis-hummer.aspx)
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