ET "Macleay's Spectre Stick Insect" Macro

macrobuggermacrobugger Registered Users Posts: 37 Big grins
edited March 2, 2008 in Holy Macro
A macro of my young female ET stick insect, she is about 3 inches in size atm very strange looking insect but excellent to watch.
2300569745_4f092ebd2a.jpg

Below is a capture of one of the male ET's just as it has shed its skin, notice the little wings just starting to pump up, only took this fella about 2 hours from shedding to walking away amazing watching it grow to about 2x the size in such a short period of time.
2281491077_34edb663f2.jpg

I hope to catch the female shedding next time and do some time lapse, if anyone can give me advise on timelapse or how to put the sequence together when captured it would be very much appreciated.

Both pics taken with the Nikon D200 + Sigma 150mm Macro and diffused flash.

Thanks for looking and I hope you found these strange but wonderfull critters as interesting as I have.

Gareth

Comments

  • WilliamClark77WilliamClark77 Registered Users Posts: 164 Major grins
    edited March 1, 2008
    Amazing little bugs! Don't their eggs look the same as their poop for camoflauge?

    For their sake I hope there's no leaf mulcher around!
    http://williamclark77.smugmug.com/
  • Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
    edited March 2, 2008
    Lovely shots- you are right amazing looking bug :)
    Brian V.
    Brian V.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/
    http://www.lordv.smugmug.com/
  • Chrissiebeez_NLChrissiebeez_NL Registered Users Posts: 1,295 Major grins
    edited March 2, 2008
    wow, great but creepy looking bugs! thumb.gifthumb
    Visit my website at christopherroos.smugmug.com
  • SkippySkippy Registered Users Posts: 12,075 Major grins
    edited March 2, 2008
    macrobugger wrote:
    A macro of my young female ET stick insect, she is about 3 inches in size atm very strange looking insect but excellent to watch.

    Below is a capture of one of the male ET's just as it has shed its skin, notice the little wings just starting to pump up, only took this fella about 2 hours from shedding to walking away amazing watching it grow to about 2x the size in such a short period of time.

    I hope to catch the female shedding next time and do some time lapse, if anyone can give me advise on timelapse or how to put the sequence together when captured it would be very much appreciated.

    Both pics taken with the Nikon D200 + Sigma 150mm Macro and diffused flash.

    Thanks for looking and I hope you found these strange but wonderfull critters as interesting as I have.

    Gareth

    Hi Gareth, what interesting little pets you have.
    I saw a cage full of these at the Zoo one time, but didn't see them.
    I thought, why is there nothing in this enclosure but leaves???

    It wasn't till I went back that I saw one move rolleyes1.gif

    What do they feed on?

    The little female really blends in with the background.
    How lucky for you to be able to see the sheding process,
    I hope you get to do the time lapse series too,
    it would be interesting to see nod.gif

    Thanks for sharing your Pets Gareth ... nice shots thumb.gif .... Skippy :D
    .
    .
    Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"

    ALBUM http://ozzieskip.smugmug.com/

    :skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
  • macrobuggermacrobugger Registered Users Posts: 37 Big grins
    edited March 2, 2008
    Hi they must be the cheapest pets in the world to keep, they feed on Bramble ie Blackberry leaves whch I collect from the hedges.

    Got 2 mantis on order atm which I should have middle of the week so will be doing some close up and some extreme close ups using my old 28mm lens stuck on the camera in reverse. So should have some interesting shots to post then.

    Cheers for commenting.
    Gareth
    Skippy wrote:
    Hi Gareth, what interesting little pets you have.
    I saw a cage full of these at the Zoo one time, but didn't see them.
    I thought, why is there nothing in this enclosure but leaves???

    It wasn't till I went back that I saw one move rolleyes1.gif

    What do they feed on?

    The little female really blends in with the background.
    How lucky for you to be able to see the sheding process,
    I hope you get to do the time lapse series too,
    it would be interesting to see nod.gif

    Thanks for sharing your Pets Gareth ... nice shots thumb.gif .... Skippy :D
    .
  • bchaplinbchaplin Registered Users Posts: 19 Big grins
    edited March 2, 2008
    What an incredible insect! It would be nice to see a close up of her face! She looks very different from the praying mantis's native to the US.
  • macrobuggermacrobugger Registered Users Posts: 37 Big grins
    edited March 2, 2008
    Headshot As Requested
    Ok just took this shot as requested.
    Please note this is a stick insect not a mantis.
    2303802867_2c60128958_o.jpg
    bchaplin wrote:
    What an incredible insect! It would be nice to see a close up of her face! She looks very different from the praying mantis's native to the US.
  • bchaplinbchaplin Registered Users Posts: 19 Big grins
    edited March 2, 2008
    Wow - another amazing shot! (Though I'm glad I've already finished my breakfast.) You're right, I was confusing stick insects with mantis's. I just looked them up - interesting to read that many of the females reproduce by parthogenesis.
  • MichelleLMichelleL Registered Users Posts: 210 Major grins
    edited March 2, 2008
    what amazing photos. I love these animals - don't have any as pets but whenever I'm out and about and spot one I show it to my son who is just fasinated by them.
    Well done.clap.gif
    Michelle Legg :smooch

    michellelegg.com
    http://legg.smugmug.com/
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