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Preying Mantid


Preying Mantid
Photo Information
Copyright: Haraprasan Nayak (haraprasan) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1351 W: 98 N: 3647] (13332)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-01-12
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon Coolpix E5600
Exposure: f/5.9, 1/60 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): portfolio of a killer [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-02-21 3:30
Viewed: 464
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This mantis fella whose ID is not known to me was in hunt at 10.30 in the night near a lighted area at my village. The light was low. But I managed to get it right. Thank you very much for viewing.

Phylum, Arthropoda; Class, Insecta; Order, Mantodea

Identifying Features
Appearance (Morphology)
* Three distinct body regions: head, thorax (where the legs and wings are attached), abdomen.
* Part of the thorax is elongated to create a distinctive 'neck'.
* Front legs modified as raptorial graspers with strong spikes for grabbing and holding prey.
* Large compound eyes on the head which moves freely around (up to 180°) and three simple eyes between the compound eyes.
* Incomplete or simple metamorphosis (hemimetabolous).

Adult Males and Females
Females usually have heavier abdomen and are larger than males.

Immatures (different stages)
A distinct Styrofoam-like egg case protects Mantid eggs throughout the winter. Up to 200 or more nymphs may emerge from the egg case. The nymphs look like adults except for size and the sexual definition. Coloration and patterns in the nymph stage may be different than the adult.

Natural History

Food
Praying mantids are highly predacious and feed on a variety of insects, including moths, crickets, grasshoppers and flies. They lie in wait with the front legs in an upraised position. They intently watch and stalk their prey. They will eat each other.

Habitat
Praying mantids are often protectively colored to the plants they live on. This camouflage facilitates their predaceous behavior. Mantids are usually found on plants that have other insects around. Some mantids live in grass. Winged adults may be attracted to black lights in late summer and early fall.

Predators
Many fish and predatory aquatic insects eat larvae and pupae. Bats, birds and spiders eat flying adults.

Interesting Behaviors
The adult female usually eats the male after or during mating. Mantid's grasping response is incredibly rapid, so that you see it before it catches the insect and when the insect is in its front legs. The motion is barely a blur if it is perceived at all.

The compound eyes are capable of seeing images and colors. The three simple eyes perhaps tell the differences between light and dark.. The simple eyes are arranged in a triangle between the antennae. Compound eyes are made up of hundreds of facets constructed with two lenses. These focus the light down a light sensitive structures (rhabdome) which is connected to the optic nerve.

Impact on the Ecosystem

Positive
Mantids are active predators and consume other insects. They are good garden predators, but are cannot keep up with the population growth of some insect populations and do not discriminate between beneficial and harmful garden insects.

Negative
Not known.
boreocypriensis, ramthakur, matatur, jaycee, angybone, cicindela, oscarromulus, xTauruSx has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello My dear Friend Haraprasan,

A perfect captur of this preying mantid with nice details friend! The diagonal posture is very lovely. TFS friend.
Cheers,

Bayram

This Mantis is different from the usual green ones, HP. It is brown in colour though all other features are similar.
It is a good shot, considering you had to shoot it at night using fill flash.
TFS.
Ram

Merhaba Haraprasan,
First it looked to me as a member of Blattodea from the thumbnail, but when enlarged revealed its (at least family) idendity. I don't know whether you own a diffuser for your flash my friend, but if not, try to obtain one, you will see how it improves your close ups. By the way, is that an ommatidium (simple eye) glinting between the antenna bases or an artefact?
Thanks for sharing this interesting take Harap.
Yours,
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1824 W: 243 N: 6007] (21398)
  • [2008-02-21 6:34]

Great image of this Mantis Haraprasan!
Sharp with good clarity.
Excellent composition.
Great work!
Thanks,
Joe

Hello Haraprasan,
Nice shot at this dark colored mantis. Good use of flash that resulted in sharp image and fine details to appreciate. POV and composition are great. TFS,
JC

Hello Haraprasan,
different but nice capture for praying mantis. In first look, it looks like a Blattodea species as laready M. Atatür mentioned. But larger version visible very well Mantid characteristics. Nicely composed and focused. Fine details. Thanks for sharing.
Best wishes
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1865 W: 8 N: 4848] (15703)
  • [2008-02-21 8:48]

Hi Haraprasan,

I've never seen anything but a green mantis. And I've never seen one on the ground - only on windows and at my hummingbird feeder. An interesting pov showing him off well.

Jane

Ciao Haraprasan,
veramente strana questa mantide.
Le sue ali mi ricordano quelle di una blatta!
Bella foto, complimenti.
Ciao,
Marcello

Hello friend Prasan,
very good use of the flash to brings out the clarity of the Mantis! especially the head part!
very good details of it!
many thanks for sharing
have a wonderful weekend, my friend
Tony

Hello Haraprasan,

Nice sharp picture of this mantis. Good composition and POV.
Very nice contrast against the clear background.
Cheers,
Mariki

Great detail - wonderful close-up. Good presentation. Well done! :)

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 985 W: 4 N: 2523] (11717)
  • [2008-02-22 9:17]

Hello HP simply superb and lovely. For you night and day does nt matter. You are perfect photographer. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-02-22 11:46]

Hello Haraprasan

Great POV,you are right into this mantid's realm.
Very well focused with sharp details.
The shot is well balanced and composed.
Well seen
TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1761 W: 29 N: 5136] (16820)
  • [2008-02-22 21:17]

Hi Haraprasan,
Wonderful profile shot of this Praying Mantis. Once again you show that you have great eyes. Good use of flash lighting and spot-on focus. Very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Namastay, my friend, Haraprasan,
You live in a GREAT land where you get to observe all these BEAUTIES.
But, it is the "ARTIST" in you that really shows.
Congratulations.
Mario from Canada.

Hello Haraprasan!
This one looks really strange. I do not remember if I saw so dark coloured (almost black) species of mantis. Pose is rather typical for this insect group but I like to read that you aserved it (and photographed) during the night.
Bravo because this is not easy to take a good quality photo after sunset!
All the best my Friend!
Radomir

Hello Haraprasan, Very beautiful shot. Great sharpness and wonderful colours. TFS.
Cheers,
Deniz

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