So, there's this Praying Mantis on my balcony...

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MichaelD

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
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I'm no Lirion, but I just had to take two pics. There's a Praying Mantis out on my balcony; it's hanging upside down from the eave. :)

I flipped the pics 180 so you could see them better. This sucker is about 4 inches long!!! :Q It looks really cool...and hungry...I was afraid it was going to bite my hand b/c I had to get close to use the camera's Macro mode. :eek:

Pic 1

Pic 2
 
K

Kelvrick

Lifer
Feb 14, 2001
18,422
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There have been a couple of mantis threads recently. Is it just their season or somethin? Nice pics. Don't have any that capture the whole thing though?
 
MichaelD

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
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Originally posted by: Kelvrick
There have been a couple of mantis threads recently. Is it just their season or somethin? Nice pics. Don't have any that capture the whole thing though?
Click to expand...

No, unfortunately not. I had to lean WAY over the railing to get the pics I did. I'm three floors up...concrete below...no more pics. ;)
 
E

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
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Originally posted by: Kelvrick
There have been a couple of mantis threads recently. Is it just their season or somethin? Nice pics. Don't have any that capture the whole thing though?
Click to expand...
Yeah, they're adults now and getting ready to mate.
 
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StormRider

Diamond Member
Mar 12, 2000
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When I was young, I used to have a pet praying mantis. She was very nice. I used to feed it bugs that I'd catch (got stung a couple of times catching wasps). The problem was that winter then came and I had a hard time finding bugs for her to eat and she eventually died. What's weird was that she laid 2 egg sacks and I left them in a jar by the window and they hatched! One morning I saw a ton of baby praying mantis at my window sill. I was pissed off at myself because it was still winter and they all eventually died because I couldn't get them enough food (I feed them raw hamburger). I didn't think the egg sack was viable because my pet mantis never mated -- so how could it be fertile? Didn't make sense to me.

They seem so intelligent -- the way they tilt their heads when looking at you. She did that when watching TV with me.
 
I

ironcrotch

Diamond Member
May 11, 2004
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Originally posted by: StormRider
When I was young, I used to have a pet praying mantis. She was very nice. I used to feed it bugs that I'd catch (got stung a couple of times catching wasps). The problem was that winter then came and I had a hard time finding bugs for her to eat and she eventually died. What's weird was that she laid 2 egg sacks and I left them in a jar by the window and they hatched! One morning I saw a ton of baby praying mantis at my window sill. I was pissed off at myself because it was still winter and they all eventually died because I couldn't get them enough food (I feed them raw hamburger). I didn't think the egg sack was viable because my pet mantis never mated -- so how could it be fertile? Didn't make sense to me.

They seem so intelligent -- the way they tilt their heads when looking at you. She did that when watching TV with me.
Click to expand...

:confused:
 
W

Wallydraigle

Banned
Nov 27, 2000
10,754
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Originally posted by: StormRider
When I was young, I used to have a pet praying mantis. She was very nice. I used to feed it bugs that I'd catch (got stung a couple of times catching wasps). The problem was that winter then came and I had a hard time finding bugs for her to eat and she eventually died. What's weird was that she laid 2 egg sacks and I left them in a jar by the window and they hatched! One morning I saw a ton of baby praying mantis at my window sill. I was pissed off at myself because it was still winter and they all eventually died because I couldn't get them enough food (I feed them raw hamburger). I didn't think the egg sack was viable because my pet mantis never mated -- so how could it be fertile? Didn't make sense to me.

They seem so intelligent -- the way they tilt their heads when looking at you. She did that when watching TV with me.
Click to expand...



Once they mate the female can store sperm in her body for a long time. She must have mated before you brought her inside.
 
E

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
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Originally posted by: moshquerade
very cool. aren't they on the endangered specie's list?
Click to expand...
Not in the slightest as a whole, AFAIK. I'm sure their numbers have diminished in certain areas, though.
 
MichaelD

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
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Thanks guys. :)

I noticed that as I got closer with the camera, it LOOKED at me...it freaked me out. Insects scare me...mostly b/c I'm allergic to all insect bites and stings.

I know the Mantis has no poison, but I'm scared nonetheless. I'd rather lay my bike down at 60mph than face bugs. :eek:

You're gonna laugh at my camera. Sony DSC-S50. 2.1 megapixels. The image was taken at 1600x1200. :)
 
I

isekii

Lifer
Mar 16, 2001
28,578
3
81
Originally posted by: MichaelD
Thanks guys. :)

I noticed that as I got closer with the camera, it LOOKED at me...it freaked me out. Insects scare me...mostly b/c I'm allergic to all insect bites and stings.

I know the Mantis has no poison, but I'm scared nonetheless. I'd rather lay my bike down at 60mph than face bugs. :eek:

You're gonna laugh at my camera. Sony DSC-S50. 2.1 megapixels. The image was taken at 1600x1200. :)
Click to expand...

it sports the carl zeiss lens :)
 
RossMAN

RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
78,928
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A Sony digicam fanboi thread without Nocturnal or Ornery in it???

*faints*

:p
 
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Lounatik

Golden Member
Oct 10, 1999
1,845
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I don't think that they bite. I remember when I was about 8 years old I was in a KFC with my parents and people started to scream about this giant bug. I ran and got a box and got the mantis out of the store before anyone could kill it. Before I did that though, I had it crawling all over my hands and then it flew away. Neat bugs.

It just goes to show you that megapixels arent all that they are cracked up to be. I bet you could poll a hundred people about these pics(which are great BTW) and about 90% will think that it was taken with the latest, greatest camera. A good lens and proper picture taking techniques can almost always overcome the megapixel hype.



Peace

Lounatik
 
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