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Praying Mantis.


Praying Mantis.
Photo Information
Copyright: Luis Leal (Luis52) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-09-13
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon D700, AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f2.8 ED
Exposure: f/8, 1/125 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-09-15 16:57
Viewed: 421
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Mantis religiosa.

Mantodea or mantises is an order of insects which contains approximately 2,200 species in 9 families worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. Most of the species are in the family Mantidae. Historically, the term "mantid" was used to refer to any member of the order because for most of the past century, only one family was recognized within the order; technically, however, the term only refers to this one family, meaning the species in the other eight recently-established families are not mantids, by definition (i.e., they are empusids, or hymenopodids, etc.), and the term "mantises" should be used when referring to the entire order. A colloquial name for the order is "praying mantises", because of the typical "prayer-like" stance, although the term is often misspelled as "preying mantis" since mantises are notoriously predatory. The word mantis is Greek for "prophet" or "fortune teller". In Europe, the name "praying mantis" refers to only a single species, Mantis religiosa. The closest relatives of mantises are the orders Isoptera (termites) and Blattodea (cockroaches), and these three groups together are sometimes ranked as an order rather than a superorder. They are sometimes confused with phasmids (stick/leaf insects) and other elongated insects such as grasshoppers and crickets.

Mantises are masters of camouflage and most species make use of protective coloration to blend in with the foliage or substrate, both to avoid predators themselves, and to better snare their victims. Various species have adapted to not only blend with the foliage, but to mimic it, appearing as either living or withered leaves, sticks, tree bark, blades of grass, flowers, or even stones. 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). While mantises can bite, they have no venom. They can also slash captors with their raptorial legs. They do not appear to be chemically protected; nearly any large predatory animal will eat a mantis such as Scops owls, shrikes, bullfrogs and chameleons.

Saludos
Luis52.
marianas, siggi, meyerd, Juyona, CeltickRanger, Noisette, parasbhalla, jaycee, jlinaresp, MMM has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hola Luis.
Como siempre hermosa toma, sorprende el fondo aunque es del mismo color del Mantis se distingue a la perfeccion, foco perfecto se puede ver las gotas de agua, Muy buen trabajo,
gran saludo Lawhill.

Luis
Wonderful mantis, lovely colors, drops of water is amazing.
Mariana

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1373 W: 56 N: 4716] (16222)
  • [2009-09-15 22:58]

Hello Luis.
Great capture. Very interesting but beautiful point of view. Nice details, excellent colours and fine background.
Very well done.Best regards Siggi

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 645 W: 15 N: 1580] (6173)
  • [2009-09-16 0:06]

Hello Luis
Very well done. Regards
Razvan

Hello Luis,

beautiful, beautiful, this stalking Mantis. Great, the light from up front, the rain droplets, the blurred but bright background. You did an excellent job, Luis.

I did'nt know that the same Old-world Mantis species occurs in Saltillo. Thanks for the detailed note too.

My best regards from another Mantis-country (Switzerland)
Dietrich

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2262 W: 10 N: 2630] (15565)
  • [2009-09-16 0:32]

Hola Luis,
preciosa captura con unos tonos maravillosos,
fino encuadre y atractivo foco.
me divertí mucho con los "inventos" hay gente en este mundo capaz de todo.
saludos amigo.

hello Luis
great shot with good light and great sharpness
beautiful colours
greeting lou

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1978 W: 6 N: 5527] (19673)
  • [2009-09-16 4:30]

Hi Luis,this is certainly the pic of a day.How is nice the matnis whit the drops,what a incredible sharpness,what a fanastic composition and great quality of sharpness and colors!! My great compliments,have a nice day,Luciano

hello Luis

excellent macro photo of this insect, with fine POV at its level,
superb focus on all the foreground with great sharpness
and details, beautifully blurred background,
beautiful soft green colour tones, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2386 W: 94 N: 5517] (17564)
  • [2009-09-16 10:08]

Hello Luis,
Great photo of this mantis with lovely waterdrops. Green on green, very good in cantrats. Excellent sharpness, details and composition.
Regards,
Peter

Hello Luis
this is one of the most beautiful Mantis shot i have ever seen,
superb sharp details with very fine details, thecolors are splendid and his pose is perfect, i like also the water droplets on his whole body
Have a good night
Jacqueline

  • Great 
  • cirano Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 654 W: 0 N: 228] (4916)
  • [2009-09-16 14:35]

A wonderful macro of this mantis from nice POV and excellent sharpness,colors and composition.TFS.
Dűrzan

Hi Luis,

Lovely macro capture of the adorable insect!
Great sharpness and taken from a nice POV.
The colors are very natural and greatly shown through your shot. The blurry BG gives great contrast to the subject. Great work!

Thanks and regards,
Paras

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-09-16 17:20]

Hola Primo,

A wonderful Praying Mantis who must have been caught in the rain. The water droplets are a bonus! A magnificent position on the branch showing his face and body in excellent detail. Beautiful natural color enhanced by the superb background.

Jane

Excelente foto Luis, con un POV bien particular pero adecuado. Excelente uso del flash, esto he permitido muy buenos detalles. El enfoque es impecable, has registrado las gotas de humedad en el insecto, de una forma impresionante. Felicitaciones.

Jesús

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 921 W: 0 N: 1985] (8905)
  • [2009-09-17 4:43]

Hi Luis
Nice closed up.Good POV and razor sharp image.Excelelnt detail and splendid colors.I also like that perfect OOF BG.
TFS Michel

Hola Amigo!
Wow! This is just simply amazing it is so well captured. I love the different tonal levels of green on the subject especially plaved on the nice soft green back drop. Nicely captured Luis!
Paul :)

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