Friday, September 26, 2014

Praying Mantis Season

It's the time of year when I typically find a few Praying Mantises around.  They are mating at this time of year, so they're out and about I guess.  I like to find them, because they are predatory insects, helping to keep the population of other insects under control.

The first one I found by chance in our meadow, just noticing it when I was walking by; it was bright green among some dried grasses.  They are really quite the characters when you look at them closely.

I had to lie down on the ground to get the photo, and then it crawled quickly from one stalk of grass to another away from me.

My wife spotted this one on the house just outside the back door the other day.  I like how it's shadow looks about as predatory as the insect itself!

Again, as I got close with the camera, it started crawling away, but just on the wall of the house.

Shortly turning in a half circle and heading downwards.  One of my favourite insect critters to find around the yard.

Linking to:


19 comments:

  1. Great detail in these shots. That first one, he's checking you out.

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  2. Lovely shots of this interesting insect. I can't help thinking that it looks like some of our ideas of how aliens might appear!

    Happy weekend!

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  3. Great close ups of this critter. Have a good weekend.

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  4. Excellent macro shots of the praying mantis ~ !

    Happy day to you ~ artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)

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  5. Really amazing photos! I like the close up. I've never seen one here.

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  6. I also think the triangular head with the big green eyes looks rather alien. You got some great shots. I don't see them in my yard. They look fat, they must have eaten lots of bugs. They are probably doing end of the season mop-up like all the spiders in my yard with webs everywhere.

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  7. Great shots of this strange and interesting critter.

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  8. The "shadow shot" (3rd one down), is just perfect! It's my winner for today!!

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  9. They are fun insect. We sometimes take one inside the porch, put it on a window sill and most of the time it stays there, eating one cluster fly after an other. They have quite an appetite!

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  10. I will be on the look out for these neat insects. Awesome photos.. Thank you for linking up, enjoy your weekend!

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  11. Great macro shots of the preying mantis! Such a fascinating insect.

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  12. Neat photos! I like seeing them too.

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  13. They are indeed wonderful creatures, but I am not so happy when they capture a hummingbird!

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  14. They are such cool insects. I love the colour pops in the photos of the praying mantis on your house walls. So vibrant. Fine shots.

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  15. I haven't seen any around here this year.
    You got some terrific shots. Love the first one. Looks like he's looking right at you and posing for the picture. Great detail.

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  16. I haven't seen a praying mantis in a long time! I'm feeling jealous!

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  17. I like them too! I wonder if that second one is female with the swollen abdomen- full of eggs?

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