I was planning to head north today to photograph Sharp-tailed grouse early tomorrow morning, but over a foot of snow fell on the lek where they dance, and my friend, Bill, and I decided not to go. The grouse will have to wait until I get back from North Dakota for me to make them famous. (Ha. Ha.) So, I took a few more images today and processed some I took earlier this year. Here are some photos that I've taken since my last photo thread I created in November.
Garden Mantis (Orthodera ministralis)
(I also photographed a first instar Garden Mantis yesterday and posted it in my L1 comparison thread.)
Ghost Mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa), Adult female and L1 nymph
I keep thinking it would be fun to start a thread with photos of L1 nymphs with adults. But I never get around to taking photos before the nymphs molt to L2. So, I finally did today. This wasn't my first choice of females to use. She molted to an adult in November, and her colors seem to be fading. I had misted two others and found the water droplets weren't drying. I tried another female that kept kicking the baby off.
Stagmomantis carolina (adult female)
Stagmomantis carolina (adult female)
Yellow Orchid (Parymenopus davisoni), L3 nymph (photo taken in January; now an adult)
Yellow Orchid (Parymenopus davisoni) (photographed in March; now an adult)
Purple Boxer Mantis (Ephestiasula pictipes)
Violin Mantis (Gongylus gongylodes)
Archimantis latistyla (I photographed this mantis in December. They are more colorful now.)
Finally, I am not currently keeping Idolos. However, I got excited the other day when someone ordered a print of this Idolomantis that I took in 2011. (I probably shared this image then.) I don't know if it's anyone from this site. But this was my first mantis print sale.
Garden Mantis (Orthodera ministralis)
(I also photographed a first instar Garden Mantis yesterday and posted it in my L1 comparison thread.)
Ghost Mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa), Adult female and L1 nymph
I keep thinking it would be fun to start a thread with photos of L1 nymphs with adults. But I never get around to taking photos before the nymphs molt to L2. So, I finally did today. This wasn't my first choice of females to use. She molted to an adult in November, and her colors seem to be fading. I had misted two others and found the water droplets weren't drying. I tried another female that kept kicking the baby off.
Stagmomantis carolina (adult female)
Stagmomantis carolina (adult female)
Yellow Orchid (Parymenopus davisoni), L3 nymph (photo taken in January; now an adult)
Yellow Orchid (Parymenopus davisoni) (photographed in March; now an adult)
Purple Boxer Mantis (Ephestiasula pictipes)
Violin Mantis (Gongylus gongylodes)
Archimantis latistyla (I photographed this mantis in December. They are more colorful now.)
Finally, I am not currently keeping Idolos. However, I got excited the other day when someone ordered a print of this Idolomantis that I took in 2011. (I probably shared this image then.) I don't know if it's anyone from this site. But this was my first mantis print sale.
