Mantis Gallery
View allAll Photos Tagged mantis
I was with my neighbor on the porch today and this big insect landed on the porch post. It was about 6" long! I had enough time to take a photo. (very cropped)
European Praying Mantis | Mantis religiosa | 08-2022 | Ticino | Switzerland
My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
More Ticino/Tessin Wildlife Photos (all taken in my garden in Monteggio/Ti, Switzerland): it.lacerta-bilineata.com/ramarro-occidentale-lacerta-bili...
My latest ANIMAL VIDEO (warning, it's a bit shocking): www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2-Xszz7FI
ABOUT THE PHOTO:
I originally titled the image above 'Pray, Love, Eat (Your Husband)' as a joking reference to a bestselling novel and to the name of the insect depicted in the photo as well as to the species' well-documented gruesome mating behavior. I changed it now, because I wanted to be sure nobody would take the title as a recommendation (let me be very clear: if you are in fact NOT a female praying mantis, please refrain from eating your husband - regardless how tempted you may be - I'm sure he will thank you later 😉).
To provide a bit of context how I got the shot, as most of you will be well aware, this past summer was rather hot in many parts of the world, and Ticino in Switzerland (where I take all my photos), was no exception. It was in fact exceptionally hot for a long period without any rain in sight, and so I found myself getting up every morning before sunrise to water the garden.
On one such occasion in late August I noticed the frantic movement of a rather large insect that was trying to get away from the splashing water drops. I immediately put the hose down and went to investigate. I could hardly believe my luck: it was a (in Switzerland very rare) European mantis, a species I hadn't seen in a long time in my garden (certainly not since my dear mother's ill-fated attempt to transform part of the garden into a "flowery meadow" - a sad anecdote you can read all about here IF you have the stomach for it: www.flickr.com/photos/191055893@N07/52177556047/in/datepo... )
The mantis had sought shelter from the water between the blooming phlox and was now resting completely motionless among the flower petals, and so I dropped everything and ran for my camera. Once I was back at the scene I realized to my horror that it was still far too dark to get a usable photo; I was sure my "rare prize" would fly away at any instant, but all I could do now was anxiously wait for the sun to come up.
Minute after agonizing minute went by (and Mrs Mantis made suspicious "I-think-I'm-going-to-leave-now" movements several times that had me hold my breath in utter terror), but finally my camera was satisfied with the available light, and once I had shot about 800 photos, I started to relax a little.
In the end, I couldn't have been happier; it had long been my hope that my little oasis of botanic chaos would attract this rare species, and that I even got to photograph it was a dream come true. And apparently I needn't have worried about it flying away; it was a female, and as I later read mantis ladies are in most cases too heavy to fly.
And they seem to be territorial (or at least this one was); to my delight, I would find Mrs Mantis either in the phlox plants or on the nearby hibiscus every day for the remainder of my holiday (here's a photo on the hibiscus: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/western-green-lizard-lacerta-bi... ), and so I got to photograph her plenty (suspiciouly there was never any sign of a Mr Mantis though...).
Anyway, many greetings and have a lovely weekend ahead everyone - and as always, let me know what you think in the comments 😊
Mantis religiosa
Da Wikipedia, l'enciclopedia libera
La Mantide religiosa (Mantis religiosa LINNAEUS, 1758), denominata anche mantide europea è una delle specie più comuni dell'ordine Mantodea. Le mantidi sono originarie dell'Africa, da cui si diffusero rapidamente nell'Europa meridionale e all'Asia minore. Si è diffusa anche in Nord America a partire dal 1899, forse importata accidentalmente con un carico di piante da vivaio.
La loro diffusione dipende soprattutto dalla richiesta di alte temperature. La loro presenza è infatti notevolmente inferiore nell'Europa centrale e quasi inesistente nell'Europa del Nord. In Germania sono considerati animali protetti e la loro cattura è vietata.
In Italia è abbastanza comune in tutto il territorio, dalle zone prealpine sino alla fascia costiera, isole comprese. Le neanidi della mantide in natura nascono in maggio/giugno, per diventare adulte nel mese di agosto. Le uova vengono deposte in ooteche, prodotte dalla femmina, durante la stagione fredda. Ogni ooteca contiene in media 60-70 uova e può arrivare fino a 200.
L'accoppiamento delle mantidi è caratterizzato da cannibalismo post-nuziale: la femmina, dopo essersi accoppiata, o anche durante l'atto, divora il maschio partendo dalla testa mentre gli organi genitali proseguono nell'accoppiamento. Questo comportamento è dovuto al bisogno di proteine, necessarie ad una rapida produzione di uova; prova ne è che la femmina d'allevamento, essendo ben nutrita, sovente "risparmia" il maschio.
Si nutrono di mosche, grilli e altri piccoli insetti.
Sanno camuffarsi facilmente tra le foglie, dove aspettano immobili le loro prede. Per difendersi dagli attacchi di insetti antagonisti la mantide apre di scatto le proprie ali per sembrare più grande
This tiny praying mantis was hanging out on the table outside at our friend’s house. To ensure his longevity I decided to move him to a safer place in the trees. When I put my hand out he happily walked on and of course photos had to be taken (which weren't entirely easy with only one hand available!).
I was blown away with his amazing movements which were also rather entertaining. He started on a walk up my arm, stopping for a quick prayer then some crazy head twisting. I’m pretty sure it turned 180° for cleaning (I think) or maybe he just enjoy contorting his body! In one photo he is barely recognisable as a praying mantis.
When I went to put him on a tree he wasn't terribly happy to go. After I had encouraged him to get on the plant he stretched out towards me almost like he didn’t want me to go. So I put my hand out again and what do you know he leapt back onto me. I had a new friend! And I found out that praying mantis can jump.
Eventually I had to socialise with humans so found another tree and encouraged him to alight again then wished him a fond farewell. Feeling uplifted by the experience.
Mante religieuse - Mantis religiosa - European mantis
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mante_religieuse
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_mantis
"T'as pas vu une antenne qui trainait, par hasard ?"
"You didn’t see an antenna hanging around, did you?"
July 2022 - edited and uploaded 2022/07/28
A green Praying Mantis. This is a Chinese Mantid or Mantis (Tenodera aridfolia sinensis). It didn't mind posing for me. I think this is a female. It's about 4 inches long with the wings covering the entire back. #Tier #animal #insect #PrayingMantis #ChinesePrayingMantis #mantid #macro #Makro #green #grun #vert #カマキリ
I was looking at the new bloom of my hydrangea, that I noticed such crawling inside of it. Of course, it wasn't easy to photography it in a shady spot. This was my at least 10 trials to get a decent shot. :-))
PS: In Shaoli Kung Fu (少林功夫螳螂弓 步) there is a movement is named after this insect's posture, according to my daughter's Shi fu (her real Shaoli kung fu instructor in NYC).
Muchas gracias por vuestras visitas y comentarios
Un montón de besos ¡¡
Thank you for your visits and comments
Kisses
Los mantodeos (Mantodea, de Mantis y del griego eidés, "que tiene aspecto de") son un orden de insectos neópteros comúnmente conocidos como mantis, mamboretás, santateresas, rezadoras o campamochas. Se conocen unas 2450 especies repartidas por todo el mundo, pero con especial diversidad en los trópicos. Su característica más llamativa es la estructura de sus patas delanteras, notablemente modificadas para la captura de presas. La mayoría vive entre la vegetación, en la que se camuflan muy bien.
Están estrechamente relacionados con los blatodeos (cucarachas y termitas), y estos dos grupos son reunidos a veces en el superorden Dictyoptera, que en ocasiones es considerado como un orden.
Los mantodeos tienen cabezas grandes y triangulares con un hocico y mandíbulas en forma de pico. Tienen dos ojos bulbosos compuestos, tres pequeños ojos simples. Las antenas son filiformes y el aparato bucal es de tipo masticador. Miden aproximadamente entre 8 y 17 cm. La articulación del cuello también es notablemente flexible; Algunas especies de mantis pueden girar sus cabezas casi 180 °. El tórax de la mantis consiste en un protórax, un mesotórax y un metatórax. El protórax está articulado de manera flexible, lo que permite una amplia gama de movimientos de la cabeza y las extremidades anteriores, mientras que el resto del cuerpo permanece más o menos móvil.
Los mantis tienen dos patas delanteras con pinchos ("patas raptoriales") con las que capturan y sostienen de forma segura a sus presas. En la mayoría de las patas de insecto, incluidas las cuatro patas posteriores de una mantis, la coxa y el trocánter se combinan como una base discreta de la pata; Sin embargo, en las patas rapaces, la coxa y el trocánter se combinan para formar un segmento tan largo como el fémur que es una parte puntiaguda del aparato de agarre. Ubicado en la base del fémur hay un conjunto de espinas discoidales, generalmente cuatro en número, pero que van desde ninguna hasta cinco, según la especie. Estas espinas están precedidas por una serie de tubérculos en forma de dientes, que, junto con una serie similar de tubérculos a lo largo de la tibia y la garra apical cerca de su punta, dan a la pata delantera de la mantis su agarre sobre su presa. La pata delantera termina en un tarso delicado que se usa como un apéndice para caminar, hecho de cuatro o cinco segmentos y termina en una garra de dos dedos sin arolio.
Los mantodeos pueden clasificarse libremente como macropteros (alas largas), braquipteros (alas cortas), micropteros (alas vestigiales) o ápteros (sin alas). Un mantodeo tiene dos pares de alas: las alas exteriores, o tegmina , suelen ser estrechas y coriáceas. Funcionan como camuflaje y como escudo para las alas traseras, que son más claras y más delicadas. El abdomen de todas las mantis consiste en 10 tergitas, con un conjunto correspondiente de nueve esternitas visibles en los machos y siete visibles en las hembras. El abdomen tiende a ser más delgado en los machos que en las hembras, pero termina en un par de cercos en ambos sexos.
Los mantodeos se alimentan generalmente de invertebrados (principalmente insectos), son depredadores de emboscadas ya que se alimentan de presas vivas que están a su alcance. Se camuflan y permanecen inmóviles, esperando que se acerque la presa, o acechan a su presa con movimientos lentos y sigilosos. Algunas especies suelen perseguir a sus presas. Tienen incluso una habilidad que les permite atrapar insectos en pleno vuelo. Los mantodeos más grandes pueden cazar pequeños vertebrados como lagartijas, ratones y colibríes.
En la naturaleza son presa de diversos depredadores como arácnidos, sapos, lagartos, serpientes, aves y murciélagos.
Cuando están directamente amenazadas, los mantodeos se mantienen erguidos y extienden sus patas delanteras, con las alas abiertas. El abanico de las alas hace que la mantis parezca más grande y más peligrosa, algunas especies mejoran este efecto con colores y patrones brillantes en sus alas traseras y en las superficies internas de sus patas delanteras. Si la amenaza persiste, las mantis suelen golpear con sus patas delanteras, pellizcar o incluso intentar devorar a su depredador cuando se trata de otros invertebrados depredadores.
El periodo de apareamiento en climas templados suele tener lugar en otoño, mientras que en las zonas tropicales, el apareamiento puede ocurrir en cualquier época del año. Para aparearse después del cortejo, el macho generalmente salta sobre la espalda de la hembra, agarrando su tórax y sus alas con sus patas delanteras. Luego arquea su abdomen para depositar y almacenar el esperma en una cámara especial cerca de la punta del abdomen de la hembra. Tras la cópula la hembra devorará al macho ya que todas las especies de mantodeos practican el canibalismo sexual. Las hembras ponen entre 10 y 400 huevos, dependiendo de la especie. Los huevos se depositan típicamente en una espuma producida en masa por glándulas en el abdomen. Esta espuma se endurece, creando una cápsula protectora, que junto con la masa del huevo forma la ooteca. Dependiendo de la especie, la ooteca puede unirse a una superficie plana, envolverse alrededor de una planta o incluso depositarse en el suelo. En las especies más pequeñas, los huevos pueden eclosionar en 3 a 4 semanas en las más grandes 4 a 6 semanas. Las ninfas pueden tener un color diferente al del adulto en las primeras etapas de su vida. La esperanza de vida de una mantis depende de la especie; las especies más pequeñas pueden vivir entre 4 a 8 semanas, mientras que las especies más grandes pueden vivir de hasta 12 o 14 meses.
Muchas gracias a tod@s por vuestros comentarios y favoritos. Un saludo.
Mantodea (or mantises, mantes) is an order of insects that contains over 2,400 species and about 430 genera in 15 families worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. Most of the species are in the family Mantidae.
The English common name for the order is the mantises, or rarely (using a Latinized plural of Greek mantis), the mantes. The name mantid refers only to members of the family Mantidae, which was, historically, the only family in the Order, but with 14 additional families recognized in recent decades, this term can be confusing. The other common name, often applied to any species in the order, is "praying mantis", because of the typical "prayer-like" posture with folded fore-limbs, although the eggcorn "preying mantis" is sometimes used in reference to their predatory habits. In Europe and other regions, however, the name "praying mantis" refers to only a single species, Mantis religiosa. The closest relatives of mantises are the termites and cockroaches (order Blattodea). They are sometimes confused with phasmids (stick/leaf insects) and other elongated insects such as grasshoppers and crickets, or other insects with raptorial forelegs such as mantisflies.
This little creature spent a few days on our front porch. Well it wasn't so little - measuring about 10cm long. We found it's shell discarded nearby so it was just readying it's new skin before travelling off on new adventures.
Taken with a vintage Canon FD 100mm macro lens connected to my DSLR - haven't used this camera/ lens combination for a long time.
Pequeña mantis, de apenas 2 centímetros en estado de ninfa.
El encontrar estos insectos para sacar alguna toma, son fruto de la suerte, ya que si no estas mirando justo en el lugar donde se encuentra, no son visibles. En este caso entre las hojas secas del roble donde coinciden en colorido. Se la "animó" para que ocupara una posición mas visible y sacarla varias tomas. Saludos
Praying Mantis
I am seeing so many Mantids around the garden this season. This one was on a leaf of the Pittosporum tree today.
Mantodea (or mantises, mantes) is an order of insects that contains over 2,400 species and about 430 genera in 15 families worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. Most of the species are in the family Mantidae.
The English common name for the order is the mantises, or rarely (using a Latinized plural of Greek mantis), the mantes. The name mantid refers only to members of the family Mantidae, which was, historically, the only family in the Order, but with 14 additional families recognized in recent decades, this term can be confusing. The other common name, often applied to any species in the order, is "praying mantis", because of the typical "prayer-like" posture with folded fore-limbs, although the eggcorn "preying mantis" is sometimes used in reference to their predatory habits. In Europe and other regions, however, the name "praying mantis" refers to only a single species, Mantis religiosa. The closest relatives of mantises are the termites and cockroaches (order Blattodea). They are sometimes confused with phasmids (stick/leaf insects) and other elongated insects such as grasshoppers and crickets, or other insects with raptorial forelegs such as mantisflies.