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Look into my eyes....
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Mantodea
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The order Mantodea (or Praying mantis) consists of approximatively 2,300 species, of which a majority are in the family Mantidae. The closest relatives of mantids are the orders Isoptera (termites) and Blattaria (cockroaches), and these three groups together are sometimes ranked as an order rather than a superorder.
Mantids are notable for their large size and nimble reflexes. Their diet usually consists of living insects, including flies and aphids; larger species have been known to prey on small lizards, frogs, birds, snakes, and even rodents. Most mantids are ambush predators, waiting for prey to stray too near to them. The mantis then lashes out at remarkable speed. Some ground and bark species, however, pursue their prey rather quickly. A mantid's prey is caught and held securely with its grasping, spiked forelegs.
Mantids are masters of camouflage and make use of protective coloration to blend in with the foliage, both to avoid predators themselves, and to better snare their victims. Some species in Africa and Australia are able to turn black after a molt following a fire in the region to blend in with the fire ravaged landscape (fire melanism). In addition to this adaptation, they have adapted to not only blend with the foliage, but to mimic it, appearing as leaves, sticks, blades of grass, flowers or even stones. Their diet and coloration frequently change as the mantid grows; mantids are among the hemimetabolic insects - those whose immature stages are similar to the adults, primarily differing in the lack of wings and functional reproductive organs. |
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Hello Dave,
Nice macro you got here! I love to look into those eyes - they are impressive.
Seems to me this image does not get much attention - it might be because the back ground is so dominant or because of the composition - you might have tried a tighter crop.
Anyhow - I like this little monster :-)
TFS - Shir
Hey David,
It is nice to see another picture from you and I must say that this is a good one! What a look! She is looking right at you with her little black pointed eyes... ;) I don't know why I call her a she; lol…Well done with great POV, details and exposure. Thanks,
Claudine,
hi david,
looks like she´s giving you a smile directly into the camera! :-)
excellent macro-shot with great sharpness and terrific details,
maybe i would have just cropped some more on the left to have her less centered.
i hope i will see a mantis, too.
great job & best wishes, thorsten.
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