# mantids at night



## nickyp0 (Jan 10, 2006)

I have seen last night when i was about to go to bed that, when the lights are off for 30mins after, the mantids eyes go from a green to a dark black is this there way of closeing there eyes to sleep or is it like us they dilate there eyes at night? I will have a pic of this tonight.


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## Obie (Jan 10, 2006)

Good question. I've noticed it in other diurnal insects as well. I always figured that was their way of closing their eyes like you mentioned.


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## Ian (Jan 10, 2006)

Yeah, I have also noticed it. Basically, what it is, is as the light levels drop, they fill the lenses in their eyes with a darker coloured pigment. This pigment is more light sensetive than the lighter pigment, giving them better eyesight when the surrounding lights levels are low.

Cheers,

Ian


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## nickyp0 (Jan 10, 2006)

thats what i thought ian, i am going to have to test this out. I will let you guys know what i find.


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## ibanez_freak (Jan 10, 2006)

Yeah, noticed this myself but never thought about it. really shows up on my orchid mantis since it's "eyes" are white, they go a grey/black colour. I found this to be more common on any kind of flower mantis (one's with the pointy eyes)

Cheers, Cameron.


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## yen_saw (Jan 10, 2006)

I remember raising this question a while back. I don't know how to link this message to the previous one (i think the subject was "temporary black eye") but it was explained by Christian and Summerland also provide the following link about mantis eyes......

http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/b...haviorsight.htm


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## nickyp0 (Jan 10, 2006)

o.k. here he is




he was not happy lol ( woke him up lol)


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## Obie (Jan 10, 2006)

I'm not sure what Christian and Summerland had to say about it, but I've definitely noticed mantises to be less alert and aware of nearby motion when their eyes are dark at night...sometimes to the point of being virtually non-responsive. This had led me to think they are asleep, or at least resting more "deeply" than when their eyes are lighter. I've also noticed a few ocasions when I left the lights on all night (they are normally on timers) and the mantises eyes became dark around the time the lights would normally go off...


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## Rick (Jan 10, 2006)

The black eye spot "disease" is a different situation than the black eyes at night. It is normal for mantids eyes to darken at night.


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## nickyp0 (Jan 10, 2006)

ya obie when i took the pic of that male creo he was not responding at all even when i touched him, and its not just the flower mantids that do this, my phillipeen's eyes change color as well. the only ones that i have that do not is the ghosts there eyes stay the same.


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## FieroRumor (Jan 10, 2006)

I LOVE it when they "put on their sunglasses"  

I wonder what happens when ya turn on the lights? Is it "blinding"?


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## Christian (Jan 11, 2006)

Hi.

At night, most species darken their eyes due to a translocation of eye pigments. This helps them seeing and preying at lower light intensities. I did not notice them to be less receptive. However, this is a process regulated by the circadian rhytm and happens just in healthy and somewhat hungry mantids. That's why they keep on with it even when lights are on. Maybe in this case they do not see very well (blinded by too high light intensities). I am not sure about this point, though.

Regards,

Christian


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