4 day old mantis eating a FF

[Metric]

I wasn't sure wether to place this post here or under general photography, but w/e.

I've recently hatched a mantis ooth and plan on releasing them into my backyard to take are of my aphid and ladybug problem.

I'm also keeping some to raise and feed off, and I'm keeping 2 as pets. This morning I decided to see if i could handle one of my mantis' and to my surprise he/she just looked at my finger, tilted its head in a questionable manner, and climbed onto my finger. I even got him/her to catch a fruit fly while remaining on my finger.

Watching a mantis eat its prey is fascinating, especially because they don't really kill their prey...they just kind of..hold them there and take bites outta them till they die.

Anyways, due to my extreme boredom here are some photos of the event, enjoy.

 

[gary1621]

Awww, thats cute

 

[Julirs]

Super cool pics!

 

[summoner12]

wow pretty cool!

 

[SSimsswiSS]

Free ranging mantis

Releasing them into my backyard, is one of the best thing I've done to collect them at a later date. I found one this morning while filling up drippers outside, for the hot day ahead. He was in the 3 inch range, and a beautiful green.

 

[eisentrauti]

Very nice shots !

 

[Metric]

thanks for the compliments/comments

 

[kiltheduck]

That's a nice, well-groomed fingernail.

 

[amisela]

don't kill ladybugs

The reason you have ladybugs is because you have aphids. Ladybugs are the best aphid predators. Try and release the mantids away from the ladybug populations to actually control the aphids better.

 

[laurie]

Great pictures, I can't believe you got that tiny mantis to sit on your finger and eat, that is just way cool.

 

[Marty]

nice camera skillz ! very nice photos

 

[jastate09]

That's some really nice photography.

 

[Texas Panther Man]

I agree nice camera work. I cant hold the damn thing still enough to take a pic and hold something that little on my finger. You will prob need to release several ooths of babies if you want to recapture some at a later date. I tried the same thing and released two ooths of babies in the backyard to control aphids and white flies. I never saw another mantis again after the second day of release.

 

[acurtis]

How cool is this?! I teach kindergarten and these pictures will be a great science lesson!