Peacock Mantis

GOLDENORFE

first shots of a peacock mantis, hope you like them
shot with 100mm macro
phil

canon400d

Fantastic shots Phil with an ace of a back ground.
Regards
Bob

frons

There has been one of these in our grass for the past few days, but wasn't sure of the species. Attached is a highly compressed pic exported from a 2-image stack. [apologies; still dragging my feet on an image hosting site]

What would account for the enlarged abdomen? I just checked it again this evening and it was slender now. And when will it develop wings like this?

Lord Vetinari

Wonderful series - looks as if they were taken at the last night of the proms
Brian v.

GOLDENORFE

thanks for comments, appreciated.

frons - mantids only get wings at last instar[ skin shed] when they become adult.
the one in your picure is a an adult female, which are always much larger and abdomen much bigger, they eat a lot more to produce ooths [eggs ]
phil