# Two-fisted eater



## Katnapper (Nov 26, 2008)

Took some pics of my Chinese female enjoying her dinner. After dropping in 2 crickets she snagged them one right after the other, and leisurely went back and forth between them like she was having two delectable courses at once and couldn't decide which she liked better.

















Looks like she's smiling at me in this one and saying, "Look Mom!"


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## The_Asa (Nov 26, 2008)

Nice pictures! Love the mantids eyes :blink:


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## idolomantis (Nov 27, 2008)

LOL the torture for the right one


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## shorty (Nov 28, 2008)

Wow he's vicious and he has beautiful eyes. Great pics!


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## Rick (Nov 28, 2008)

Those eyes are not normal. She an old mantis?


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## Katnapper (Nov 28, 2008)

Rick said:


> Those eyes are not normal. She an old mantis?


  Not normal? :huh: Yes, she is older... wild caught as an adult, I think sometime in September. What's not normal about them... I'm very curious to know! Thanks!


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## idolomantis (Nov 28, 2008)

Katnapper said:


> Not normal? :huh: Yes, she is older... wild caught as an adult, I think sometime in September. What's not normal about them... I'm very curious to know! Thanks!


look.. the eyes are usually like this:






This is one of the many cases of "the weird eye thing"...


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## Katnapper (Nov 28, 2008)

idolomantis said:


> look.. the eyes are usually like this:This is one of the many cases of "the weird eye thing"...


Is it that the "black spot" (looks _*like*_ pupils, but I realize they are not pupils) in each eye is bigger? Hmmm.... curious now about the whole "weird eye thing" different cases. When I get time I'll do a forum search and see if I can find any previous threads pertaining to it. Anyone have any information they can tell me, or links they can point me to about this subject? Not that I'm worried, I'm just curious and want to know more about it. I'd like to see other pictures/examples of this same type of "case," and other forms. I'd like to read theories and information about why it happens... like Rick mentioned "old age." Thank you, idolomantis, for posting the normal pic eyes for comparison. And thank you, Rick, for bringing this to my attention! I had no idea.


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## idolomantis (Nov 28, 2008)

Katnapper said:


> Is it that the "black spot" (looks _*like*_ pupils, but I realize they are not pupils) in each eye is bigger? Hmmm.... curious now about the whole "weird eye thing" different cases. When I get time I'll do a forum search and see if I can find any previous threads pertaining to it. Anyone have any information they can tell me, or links they can point me to about this subject? Not that I'm worried, I'm just curious and want to know more about it. I'd like to see other pictures/examples of this same type of "case," and other forms. I'd like to read theories and information about why it happens... like Rick mentioned "old age." Thank you, idolomantis, for posting the normal pic eyes for comparison.


http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=11666 -_-


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## Katnapper (Nov 28, 2008)

idolomantis said:


> http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=11666 -_-


Thanks, idolomantis! Just read through it... interesting. Will also look back about a week or so (from 8/22/08) in Health problems section to see if I can find the previous thread on it that you mentioned in that thread.  

I have been keeping her (my female Chinese above) in a small/medium plastic critter keeper. And she does seem to hate to be in there... keeps wanting out when she sees me or I go to feed or mist her. But she seems to see prey just fine, spots it immediately when I drop it in, and obviously follows it's movements with her head... I've watched her. Sometimes she does seem a bit clumsy when trying to catch prey, but she always catches it in the end.

Hmmm... just interesting, and I like to know all I can... especially if it may affect the health/wellness of my mantids (I realize this is apparently not proven).


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## idolomantis (Nov 28, 2008)

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=11243

that's the one^

but i found the mantids with the "regular mantis" look having this way more often.. i've never seen a ghost with this :/


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## Katnapper (Nov 28, 2008)

Hmmm.... thanks, idolomantis, for all of the information and links!  Very helpful. Though it doesn't solve what the problems are caused from, it does give a good idea of some of the seemingly common conditions (bumping eyes against container, small container, old age, etc., along with "regular" big species most affected) that *might* cause it.

Btw... those pics of my gal were taken at night. Going to go up now and see what they look like in the daytime. Might take some pics. Need to get off this darn thing anyway and get some stuff done. The Net is very absorbing and time consuming when you're curious... lol. Will check back later though to see if anyone has any more info...


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## idolomantis (Nov 28, 2008)

These spots doesn't have anything to do with day/night..

this is at daytime:






this one is the same mantis but at night:






at night the eyes are black, probably to catch light..(&lt;-- correct me if I'm wrong on that one)


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## Katnapper (Nov 28, 2008)

idolomantis said:


> These spots doesn't have anything to do with day/night..


Yes, but I thought they might not be totally black in the daylight... might have some "normal" lighter area around the black spots, or look different in the daytime. Did take some pics, but haven't uploaded yet. Taking a break from housework and mantis chores right now to eat some leftover Thanksgiving dinner... while at my computer, lol.  Will upload and examine the pics after while. May post if different from ones taken at night.


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## Katnapper (Nov 29, 2008)

Daytime pics of her eyes...


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## Rick (Nov 29, 2008)

Not to worry. It is pretty common and does not seem to affect them much. Regardless of what you hear nobody really knows what causes it. Some say it is from rubbing on the sides of the enclosure but I have seen this on wild mantids too so that theory may be out. I see it most often on older mantids but also a time or two on nymphs. I have a very old shield mantis and her eyes look just like that.


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## revmdn (Nov 29, 2008)

Great photos anyways!


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## Katnapper (Nov 29, 2008)

Thank you Rick...  I appreciate your insight on it!  

Thanks, Martin....


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## MANTIS DUDE (Nov 29, 2008)

WoW! I just love it when the do that! They have the most human like eyes of any bug. Its amazing!


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## shorty (Nov 30, 2008)

I love it when their eyes do this as well. That human look gives the feel of them almost having a personality.


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## yeatzee (Dec 16, 2008)

sorry, but i gotta ask. What camra/lens combo


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## kamakiri (Dec 16, 2008)

yeatzee said:


> sorry, but i gotta ask. What camra/lens combo


exif data says Canon Digital rebel and 100mm...presumably the 100mm f/2.8 macro.


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## Katnapper (Dec 16, 2008)

yeatzee said:


> sorry, but i gotta ask. What camra/lens combo


Hehe... no problem, Yeatzee...  It's a Canon Rebel (original version, digital) with Canon EF100mm f/2.8 macro lens.


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## yeatzee (Dec 16, 2008)

Man i need that pentax 100mm macro  Curse you other hobbies for eating all my money!


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## Katnapper (Dec 16, 2008)

Well, hubby bought himself a pinball machine which cost some big bucks... so he didn't say much when I told him I was getting myself a macro lens (early) for Christmas... :lol: (have wanted one for several years  ).


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## yeatzee (Dec 16, 2008)

Ha! Well i've got guitar, mantids, airsoft, and photography all as hobbies. Only cheap one is mantids  

A $430.00 + lens is not something i can just buy on the fly...being 15 and all.


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## Katnapper (Dec 16, 2008)

yeatzee said:


> Ha! Well i've got guitar, mantids, airsoft, and photography all as hobbies. Only cheap one is mantids  A $430.00 + lens is not something i can just buy on the fly...being 15 and all.


Yes, I understand. You'll probably want to start saving for a car in the not-so-distant future too!  Well, let me be one of the first to officially welcome you to a lifetime of work!  :lol:


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## yeatzee (Dec 17, 2008)

thanks


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