# Pictures:)



## Pelle

Shedding male _Solygia sulcatifrons_


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## Pelle




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## Pelle

Female


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## [email protected]

[SIZE=14pt]Thats cool man do you have more of him comeing out? also what kind of cam are you useing? [/SIZE]


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## ismart

Very nice!  That is an interesting Projection. Never seen that before. Does it have any use, or is just for camouflage?


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## Pelle

ArkBlue said:


> Thats cool man do you have more of him comeing out? also what kind of cam are you useing?


I'm using a FujiFilm FinePix S9500 with a Raynox DCR-250



ismart said:


> Very nice!  That is an interesting Projection. Never seen that before. Does it have any use, or is just for camouflage?


Thanks I have no idea actually. Males have it as well, so I guess camouflage ?

_Idolomorpha lateralis_






Subadult female


























Subadult male


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## superfreak

haha it seems like you caught her in a compromising position. In the fourth-to-last pic shes pooping


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## revmdn

Very nice.


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## Katnapper

I very much enjoyed the pics, Pelle... thanks for letting us see.


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## ismart

superfreak said:


> haha it seems like you caught her in a compromising position. In the fourth-to-last pic shes pooping


Nice observation! :lol:


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## Pelle

Thanks for the comments



superfreak said:


> haha it seems like you caught her in a compromising position. In the fourth-to-last pic shes pooping


Hehe, I noticed :lol: It's a he btw


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## superfreak

awesome critter nonetheless


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## Pelle

True  

_Schizocephala bicornis_


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## Katnapper

I'm jealous, Pelle.... hehe.  Very nice pics of your _S. bicornis_.  I admire and would like to try this species one of these days.


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## Rick

Those were really good.


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## PhilinYuma

"I'm using a FujiFilm FinePix S9500 with a Raynox DCR-250"

I am most seriously impressed, Pelle. For anyone who is not familiar with this setup, the "FinePix S9500" is (was!) a "prosumer" camera, not a DSLR, and the Raynox macro lens is a clip on supplementary lens that costs about 1/10 of a Canon 100mm macro, and has been around for years.

I'm going to get one for my similar Panasonic FZ18 on the strength of your pix, anyway, but:

1) Did you have to crop much to eliminate vignetting?

2) What f stop were you using?

3) What was the focal distance, (FFD) aproximately?

4) Aren't you proud of yourself for producing such great pix with such simple equipment?


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## Lizard

As always Pelle,

beautiful pictures.  

Nice to see you here to.


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## Pelle

Thanks!



Katnapper said:


> I'm jealous, Pelle.... hehe.  Very nice pics of your _S. bicornis_.  I admire and would like to try this species one of these days.


It's a very funny species.. The 2 nymphs I have from Yen are most likely a couple(lucky) So maybe I will be able to breed them, but I need more luck for that



PhilinYuma said:


> "I'm using a FujiFilm FinePix S9500 with a Raynox DCR-250"I am most seriously impressed, Pelle. For anyone who is not familiar with this setup, the "FinePix S9500" is (was!) a "prosumer" camera, not a DSLR, and the Raynox macro lens is a clip on supplementary lens that costs about 1/10 of a Canon 100mm macro, and has been around for years.
> 
> I'm going to get one for my similar Panasonic FZ18 on the strength of your pix, anyway, but:
> 
> 1) Did you have to crop much to eliminate vignetting?
> 
> 2) What f stop were you using?
> 
> 3) What was the focal distance, (FFD) aproximately?
> 
> 4) Aren't you proud of yourself for producing such great pix with such simple equipment?


Thank you Phil

1) You mean if you don’t zoom or anything you will see something like this (when you have the Raynox clipped on)






I almost never crop, because I use the digital zoom function(x2). If I do that, the vignetting isn’t visible anymore.

I have this camera and mini macro lens for about 3 years now I believe. And I’m too lazy to figure out settings like the aperture etc. So it’s always standing on ‘auto’  

I kinda learned to make pics with it on my own, I barely now something about photo stuff..

I want to buy a better camera sometime, but this works for now

2) Like I said, I don’t know much about this  Do you mean the F-number ?

I use Opera as my browser, if I look at the Image properties in this browser. I can see a lot of info on most pictures.

Here’s is a screenshot from the last S. bicornis picture: Click

3) Uhm :| Around 40.00 mm or something ? I have no idea  

4) I don’t know, never really think about stuff like that  Sounds like I should be?  

I also have to say that before I post a picture, it goes through Photoshop Lightroom first. Then I open it in Photoshop where I blur away all the noise.

It’s a lot of work, but it looks better imo


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## Frey

Schizocephala bicornis - the best picture  

This species is really cute


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## PhilinYuma

Pelle said:


> Thanks!It's a very funny species.. The 2 nymphs I have from Yen are most likely a couple(lucky) So maybe I will be able to breed them, but I need more luck for that
> 
> Thank you Phil
> 
> 1) You mean if you don’t zoom or anything you will see something like this (when you have the Raynox clipped on)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Similar. You are showing a black area where the clipon is actually blocking the lens. In vignetting it is just darker around the edges. But that shot was very helpful for me.
> 
> I almost never crop, because I use the digital zoom function(x2). If I do that, the vignetting isn’t visible anymore.
> 
> I have this camera and mini macro lens for about 3 years now I believe. And I’m too lazy to figure out settings like the aperture etc. So it’s always standing on ‘auto’
> 
> I kinda learned to make pics with it on my own, I barely now something about photo stuff..
> 
> I want to buy a better camera sometime, but this works for now
> 
> 2) Like I said, I don’t know much about this  Do you mean the F-number ?
> 
> I use Opera as my browser, if I look at the Image properties in this browser. I can see a lot of info on most pictures.
> 
> Here’s is a screenshot from the last S. bicornis picture: Click
> 
> 2)Yeah. f-stop, F-number and aperture diameter are all pretty much the same. I see that you were shooting almost full open (aperture at its widest) in the screen shot.
> 
> 3) Uhm :| Around 40.00 mm or something ? I have no idea
> 
> 3)That's pretty close! Good thing the mantis likes you!
> 
> 4) I don’t know, never really think about stuff like that  Sounds like I should be?  Yep!
> 
> I also have to say that before I post a picture, it goes through Photoshop Lightroom first. Then I open it in Photoshop where I blur away all the noise.
> 
> It’s a lot of work, but it looks better imo
> 
> 4)Yes, of course. Long live photoshop!.


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## Pelle

_Hestiasula brunneriana_

Subadult female





















mmm threesome


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## Gurd

Gangbang :lol: 

That pic made be chuckle mate


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## Katnapper

Love the threesome pics!


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## Pelle

Adult female


























Adult male


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## Pelle

Mating
















Male died pretty quick after


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## f.wattiez

Hello,

Superb photographs! beautiful species not obvious has to preserve!

Good job!

Bests regards, François!


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## superfreak

absolutely stunning! i love how they have the hairs to break up their outline - you can barely see the female!


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## Katnapper

Are those little pink inner wing buds? Beautiful pics!!! I love the eyes of this species, and the camouflage is perfection.


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## [email protected]

[SIZE=14pt]wow what eles can I say.[/SIZE]


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## Pelle

Thanks!  



Katnapper said:


> Are those little pink inner wing buds? Beautiful pics!!! I love the eyes of this species, and the camouflage is perfection.


Yes, looks like it. I will unfold them and make a pic when she dies..


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## Pelle

Finally my female turned adult, scary big though  






And yes, you can open beer with that ring


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## planetq

Absolutely stunning.

What a beauty.

How is her temperament?


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## agent A

Pelle said:


> _Hestiasula brunneriana_
> 
> Subadult female


the mantis is eating a green bottlefly!


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## planetq

Pelle said:


> mmm threesome


Beautiful photos aside, I would like to report these photos to be too explicit, and should be censored.  

haha.


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## Katnapper

Oh my goodness, Pim... your _Solygia sulcatifrons _adult female is a monster!!!  A beautiful one too!


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## ABbuggin

Katnapper said:


> Oh my goodness, Pim... your _Solygia sulcatifrons _adult female is a monster!!!  A beautiful one too!


+1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Katnapper

Forgot to mention....... you don't need that ring to open beers.  Just train her to do it!  Looks like she could handle the job.


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## Pelle

Haha :lol: I'm sure she would get close



calarts_security said:


> Absolutely stunning.What a beauty.
> 
> How is her temperament?


Not that agressive actually.. yet


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## Borya

_Solygia_ is stunning!

Is she next-to-last instar on your previous photos, or subadult already?



Pelle said:


> Female


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## Kruszakus

Maybe you could make a little Gongylus-Solygia coparison picture?


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## Pelle

Borya said:


> _Solygia_ is stunning!Is she next-to-last instar on your previous photos, or subadult already?


Yes, she is one instar before subadult on those pics.

Over here she's subadult









Kruszakus said:


> Maybe you could make a little Gongylus-Solygia coparison picture?


Maybe I could, maybe not.

But I will do it when my subadult female turns to adult, within a week I think


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## xxtittlexx

Very neat pics!


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## Borya

Pelle said:


> Yes, she is one instar before subadult on those pics.


Thank you! Thus mine are sub-subadult too. What a beasts they will be in adulthood... Hurray!


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## Pelle

Kruszakus said:


> Maybe you could make a little Gongylus-Solygia coparison picture?


Here, on the bottem also an _Idolomorpha_ female


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## massaman

love that Solygia species and wish I could have something like that to my collection


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## Pelle

_Idolomorpha lateralis_





















_Gongylus gongylodes_


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## Pelle

_Hestiasula brunneriana_
















Nom nom nom





















&gt;&gt;






&gt;&gt;


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## ABbuggin

cool pics


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## Pelle

thankyou


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## ABbuggin

What is the growth rate of your Schizos? From observing mine, I would put them at the same rate as my Sybilla.....slow.


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## Pelle

Hmm yes, pretty slow..

I've got them at 2nd instar beginning April. Female is now 2 sheds from adult I think..

Male is very slow, the female shedded 2 times and he still needs to shed. Hopefully he will do that soon.


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## Pelle

Some pics again

_Hestiasula brunneriana_
















_Tarachodes sp._


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## Pelle

_Solygia sulcatifrons_






Male shedding to adult


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## yen_saw

Pelle said:


> _Solygia sulcatifrons_


 Nice pics Pim. Congrate on the adult male. Nice looking mantis.


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## Katnapper

Absolutely beautiful, Pim! I really like how you include close-ups of the various body parts in addition to the whole mantis or scene of mantids.


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## Pelle

Thanks Yen and Katnapper!


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## ABbuggin

Sweet pics.


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## revmdn

All these photos are wonderful.


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## Pelle

Thankyou

_Schizocephala bicornis_

Adult female


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## Pelle

Subadult male

















Couple


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## Kruszakus

Looks like he is ordering something in a restaurant  

I did not know that you still keep Didymocorypha.


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## Katnapper

A very handsome pair, Pim. Love the close-ups!


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## Pelle

Kruszakus said:


> Looks like he is ordering something in a restaurant  I did not know that you still keep Didymocorypha.


Hehe  

Me neither..


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## yeatzee

those black background pictures of the with _Schizocephala bicornis_ look like they had a red huh and you made it "blacker" with a clone tool or something? Anyways if so you missed some spots  :lol: 

Nice pics though


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## Pelle

Hehe, I see which picture you mean But I mostly used the burn tool


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## ABbuggin

Great pic of the Shizos! Mine are just over 3" long as of now.  How long is your female from tip of antenna to rear?


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## Pelle

From the tip of her antenna to the end of her cerci it's around 14 cm. And without the antenna and cerci she's 10 cm long.

_Idolomorpha lateralis_

Adult female




































Nymhps


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## Pelle

Wooh


























Spermatophore











Ooth


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## Katnapper

Very nice sequence of mating, spermatophore, and laying ooth, Pim!


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## Borya

Thanks a lot! I was wondering how do they produce oothecae while they have such a huge spine on the tip of their abdomen - now I see, they just pull it upwards.


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## ABbuggin

Nice


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## Kruszakus

Holy cow! This mantis is beastly!!! Seriously man, you've got one huge monster there.


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## Rick

Pelle said:


> Wooh


What are these? !


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## Kruszakus

I think that's locust.


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## MantidLord

Kruszakus said:


> I think that's locust.


I think he meant the species(?)


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## Rick

Kruszakus said:


> I think that's locust.


The mantis not the hopper.


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## ABbuggin

_Solygia sulcatifrons _


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## Pelle

What ^ said


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## Kruszakus

Pelle said:


> What ^ said


You remember how long they were at L3/L4?


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## Rick

ABbuggin said:


> _Solygia sulcatifrons _


Anyone have them in culture in the US?


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## tier

Hey, somebody found out that this species has a little ability to produce parthogenetic babies! But they are very week, as far as I know.

regards

Great job, by the way, Pelle. Your enclosures must be very huge, this is the biggest species I have ever seen live.


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## Pelle

Kruszakus said:


> You remember how long they were at L3/L4?


Uhm :blink: Around 4-5 cm I think ?

Thanks tier I keep one adult female in a 41x32x53 cm enclosure. She is scary big indeed..

Cool they can be parthogenetic, didn't know that.. Hopefully I won't find that out myself and the mating wen't ok

_Idolomorpha lateralis_












_Metallyticus splendidus_


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## Katnapper

Wow.... :blink: you can really see why they are "splendid!"   Great pics of a really neat species!


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## ABbuggin

Great pics Pim! How long is your female Solygia sulcatifrons?

Rick, as far as I know, nobody has them in the US.


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## tier

> you can really see why they are "splendid!"


No! Wrong! You can imagine, yes. But you can *really say *when he will post pics of adult females. And when you see them, you will say: "Yes, they are not splendid as nymphs."

:lol:


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## JoeCapricorn

Pelle said:


>


Who is this cute fella?

Also are they available in the US? What about Hestiasula brunneriana?


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## hierodula

JoeCapricorn said:


> Who is this cute fella? Also are they available in the US? What about Hestiasula brunneriana?


this is tarchodes sp.


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## ABbuggin

JoeCapricorn said:


> Who is this cute fella? Also are they available in the US?


I used to breed them. I had them for 5 generations. When I was on my way to my 6th, all of my mated females (five!!) refused to lay any ooths. :angry: They are very cool though.


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## Pelle

ABbuggin said:


> Great pics Pim! How long is your female Solygia sulcatifrons? Rick, as far as I know, nobody has them in the US.


Around 14 cm


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