Big bug season is here (7 images)

This Praying Mantis, about 10cm head to tail, turned up in my garden this afternoon.

All images shot with K20D and AF160FC flash (testing it after its return from repair).
First 4 images shot with SMCP D-FA 100mm 1:2.8 Macro lens, the remainder shot with the Sigma EX DG 180mm 1:3.5 Macro lens.
PP done in Lightroom 3.













This one is almost 100% crop.



The classic 'prayer' pose, waiting for prey.

Nice shots

I'm glad those things don't grow to 6 ft plus

nice set, good DOF,good eye contact,sharp, well done

A good set, sharp and rich in colour.

Is it large enough to BBQ? Honey roast Mantis.......

Best regards

Thanks for all your comments, especially with regard to sharpness.

All of these were focussed manually but anybody who has ever used the Sigma 180mm will know how difficult it is to focus manually.

To assist it, I stuck it on my Pentax macro rail to hopefully achieve better sharpness.

In the viewfinder, they were all spot on.

Incredible detail. I think he is smiling in number 4 !!

Thanks Peter, and yes, I think she is smiling.

Males are much smaller and generally don't survive very long after mating as the female is very likely to eat him. That could be why she's smiling.

Lovely set Peter - and I too am glad they don`t grow too big OR over here in the UK.Qual;ity photos and spot on focussing - well done.

Tony

Thanks Tony.

I never knew that. Some spiders have the same arrangement I think. Is this very common in the insect world?

ps. I know spiders are not insects !

I don't think it is very common Peter. I know only of some spiders EG. the Black Widow, praying mantids, and some scorpions that practice sexual cannibalism.

All the above are carnivorous insects, some non-carnivorous insects, EG. crickets, and other organisms also cannibalise their own species at times.

More info here. The example photo of chinese mantids in that article shows the female to be smaller than the male as far as I can tell.

EDIT above post: Spiders and scorpions are, of course, not insects.