# Orchid nymphs L1-L2



## Precarious (Jan 21, 2012)

Had only a partial hatch on the first set of ooths so none for sale. Hopefully next pair will do better. Problem likely due to lack of food before they were laid. That's what I get for traveling. If you're on the list I'll let you know if and when I have some for sale.  

I've gotta say, Orchids have the cutest nymphs!

L1 fresh after hatch. Head is still yellow, extremities gray...












After drying out...
















And here is a fresh L2. I'm confused. I thought L2s lost the red. :blink: Next day and coloration is the same.






Water droplets on his little head...


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 21, 2012)

lookin good!


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## agent A (Jan 21, 2012)

Soooo cute!!! If some die can I have some just to look at their cuteness???


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## Precarious (Jan 21, 2012)

agent A said:


> Soooo cute!!! If some die can I have some just to look at their cuteness???


What a morbid thought. Did something happen to you or were you born this way. :clown: (Pun fully intended.)

Wouldn't you just rather use one of these pics as your desktop image? Believe me, they are much cuter ALIVE. In fact, the photos don't even fully convey their cuteness. A big part of it is how they move. I'll try to get a video up soon.


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## meaganelise9 (Jan 21, 2012)

Man, they look awesome. So much different than older orchids.


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## agent A (Jan 21, 2012)

Precarious said:


> What a morbid thought. Did something happen to you or were you born this way. :clown: (Pun fully intended.)
> 
> Wouldn't you just rather use one of these pics as your desktop image? Believe me, they are much cuter ALIVE. In fact, the photos don't even fully convey their cuteness. A big part of it is how they move. I'll try to get a video up soon.


I'm not attracted to dead things like Jeffrey dahmer was, I was just kidding lol, I thought the "  " was enough to say I was kidding

Anything is cuter alive than dead I think, I can't wait to see a video


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## GreenOasis (Jan 21, 2012)

Nice...I sure hope I can get some soon. One way or another!


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## dlemmings (Jan 21, 2012)

fantastic colors and great pics


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## patrickfraser (Jan 22, 2012)

My BFF Abigail came over tonight and I asked her if she had seen my orchids. She said,

"I think so."

"the pink ones?"

"What pink ones"

"These!"

"OMG!"

Just when she thought she'd seen them all! BTW...Cirque du Soleil was FIERCE!


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## agent A (Jan 22, 2012)

patrickfraser said:


> My BFF Abigail came over tonight and I asked her if she had seen my orchids. She said,
> 
> "I think so."
> 
> ...


Why do I wanna make a "that's wat she said" joke right about now  

I remember in 6th grade everyone knew wat an orchid mantis was and they obsessed over them but I was the only one who knew more than they mimic orchids, imagine a 6th graders surprise when I stated they mimic ants as hatchlings...


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## PhilinYuma (Jan 22, 2012)

Precarious said:


> What a morbid thought. Did something happen to you or were you born this way. :clown: (Pun fully intended.)
> 
> Wouldn't you just rather use one of these pics as your desktop image? Believe me, they are much cuter ALIVE. In fact, the photos don't even fully convey their cuteness. A big part of it is how they move. I'll try to get a video up soon.


Like you and me, Henry, I think that Young Alex was just born that way. Fortunately, as you know, the sharper edges get rubbed off as we grow older. Right Alex?


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## Krissim Klaw (Jan 22, 2012)

Stop playing with us, you spray painted them didn't you. :shifty:


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## agent A (Jan 22, 2012)

Umm I guess so, watever that means  

Orchid mantises r really cool though


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## Precarious (Jan 22, 2012)

Krissim Klaw said:


> Stop playing with us, you spray painted them didn't you. :shifty:


[email protected]! I can never get away with it. Get caught every time.

Two days later, red is changing to pink/orange-ish...





















And in case anyone was wondering, I made these two fight and L2s are definitely stronger. It was a very colorful fight to the death!






Joking, of course.


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## agent A (Jan 22, 2012)

Love the pics!!! I love the orchid mantis' pink color

We should use one of precarious' pics of a pink orchid mantis as the forum's breast cancer awareness symbol  

Just a thought, no disrespect intended  

So how big r they at L2?


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 22, 2012)

loooks good enough to eat, grannyma hungry!


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## Precarious (Jan 23, 2012)

Here's mommy...


















agent A said:


> So how big r they at L2?


Slightly bigger than at L1.


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## happy1892 (Jan 23, 2012)

Amazing pictures!


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## Idolofreak (Jan 23, 2012)

L1-L2 Colors are AMAZING! :tt1: I love the red eyes on the mom!


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## lunarstorm (Jan 23, 2012)

I can see the tiny hairs on the mandibles. Awesome!


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## Precarious (Jan 23, 2012)

lunarstorm said:


> I can see the tiny hairs on the mandibles. Awesome!


Take note of the bristles on the raptors too. They use them for grooming.


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## meaganelise9 (Jan 23, 2012)

blast! Every time I see this thread in View New Content, I'm like "Ooh!" Then I remember this is not for sale/wanted nor a brand new topic. haha


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## MX83Drifter (Jan 24, 2012)

freakin awesome..... I love all the pic's you get. very good work.


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## sporeworld (Jan 24, 2012)

Wow.

I never saw, or caught on camera, the sliver, almost metalic look of the legs at L1. Very nice work (and, might be my new wallpaper). 

Royalty check is in the mail...


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## chrisworld2 (Jan 24, 2012)

I love the colors!

Cute pics!


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## Chivalry (Jan 25, 2012)

Wallpapered. Precarious your camera work is mind blowing. It makes me wish I could at least SEE my guys that well.

Orchids! I will have you some day...


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## Precarious (Jan 27, 2012)

The ooths collected so far, on the lid of a 80 oz. cup. The two partially hatched in the center, freshest from a few days ago to the left. The other girl is ready to pop so should have another any day now.


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## sinensispsyched (Jan 27, 2012)

@Agent A post#10

I am in 6th grade now, and I must say that is the same way with me! Except, everyone at my school is, "cool" and they don't even know what an orchid mantis is! As far as they know, I'm just a nerd, a geek, or else I'm just weird.


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## Mvalenz (Jan 27, 2012)

There are no nerds or geeks. Just people with different personalities.


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## Precarious (Feb 3, 2012)

Woke to find a fresh ooth...






And another hatched...






Next should hatch in a week.


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## frogparty (Feb 3, 2012)

Pretty bitchin!!!! I can only hope I have as much success in a few months


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## ismart (Feb 3, 2012)

Fantastic! :clap:


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## twolfe (Feb 3, 2012)

Amazing pictures! And congrats on your latest hatch!


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## Mvalenz (Feb 3, 2012)

Congrats! They look so cute!


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## kr1cket (Feb 3, 2012)

YAY!!!!! :clap: :clap:


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## Precarious (Feb 4, 2012)

Well, my male finally got chomped.  

He was a little trooper. Remated both females between each ooth.

He would have been 5 months old in 3 days. That's 5 months as adult! I didn't know the males could live so long. My other male died after only 10 days as an adult. :blink: 

He will be missed.


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## lunarstorm (Feb 4, 2012)

Doh! I'm sorry about the male. When my oxy male got chomped I was disappointed for longer than I thought I'd be.

Great pics and grats on the continued orchid success!


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## Precarious (Feb 4, 2012)

lunarstorm said:


> Doh! I'm sorry about the male. When my oxy male got chomped I was disappointed for longer than I thought I'd be.


I'm actually a little upset about it. I'm such a sap sometimes.


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## lunarstorm (Feb 4, 2012)

Precarious said:


> I'm actually a little upset about it. I'm such a sap sometimes.


I totally understand, it was surprisingly jarring to me. I wonder if I'll get used to it over time. Kinda doubt it. Even if the sting isn't as severe after I've experienced it many times, it's not something we can really relate to (I hope!) lol


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## agent A (Feb 4, 2012)

5 months??? Wow! A male creo only lasts me 2 months!!!


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## Precarious (Feb 4, 2012)

lunarstorm said:


> I totally understand, it was surprisingly jarring to me. I wonder if I'll get used to it over time. Kinda doubt it. Even if the sting isn't as severe after I've experienced it many times, it's not something we can really relate to (I hope!) lol


It's only the ones that I really depend on that get me down. But he lived a long life and got a lot of action. I thought he was a pro at his job so I feel it was my fault for not knowing the female was in 'eat everything!' mode. That's how the females are. Best time to mate them is when they're refusing food. Poor little guy.


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## CoolMantid (Feb 4, 2012)

Well Precarious... you have so many nymphs I would love to take them off your hands!


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## Precarious (Feb 6, 2012)

*L3*


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## agent A (Feb 6, 2012)

Aww how cute!!! :wub:


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## CoolMantid (Feb 6, 2012)

That means my female is L4 because she looked just like that last molt


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## jcal (Feb 6, 2012)

Good to know the males can live that long. That's reassuring.

Thanks for the info.


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## twolfe (Feb 6, 2012)

Your L3 images are beautiful and so sharp. Are those with the new lens?


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## Precarious (Feb 6, 2012)

jcal said:


> Good to know the males can live that long. That's reassuring.
> 
> Thanks for the info.


I think he was the exception. It seems the males generally die pretty fast. May depend on how deprived of food they were while growing since you have to slow their growth in relation to the females. My males were both adult a full month before the females but it still worked out.



Tammy Wolfe said:


> Your L3 images are beautiful and so sharp. Are those with the new lens?


Thanks! Yes, that the MP-E. I've been using it at f10 since the details start to get fuzzy beyond that and DOF is pretty useless in the other direction. The DOF is way more shallow than I'm used to but it's adding more depth to the images. That's the trade off. I'm also getting better at sweetening the images in Photoshop too. I think I've got a good formula going.


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## GreenOasis (Feb 6, 2012)

Henry, ya' gotta' stop it with all the cool pics of these guys! You're going to make me have to go change my pants! 

I have to tell you: the disappointment of losing a "good male" never goes away. I'm still cussing at my old Pnigomantis girls for killing all the males...I *thought* before even ONE of them got mated, but apparently ONE girl wasn't faster than the male she was with!  (Too bad she only laid two ooths before dying.) And don't EVEN get me started about the Lobatas! :angry:


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## Precarious (Feb 6, 2012)

GreenOasis said:


> Henry, ya' gotta' stop it with all the cool pics of these guys! You're going to make me have to go change my pants!
> 
> I have to tell you: the disappointment of losing a "good male" never goes away. I'm still cussing at my old Pnigomantis girls for killing all the males...I *thought* before even ONE of them got mated, but apparently ONE girl wasn't faster than the male she was with!  (Too bad she only laid two ooths before dying.) And don't EVEN get me started about the Lobatas! :angry:


Me sawee... :blush: 

I'm just doing my part to keep you regular.

Should have the next hatch in a week and you're at the front of the line.


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## GreenOasis (Feb 6, 2012)

YAY! Oops...gotta' go change my pants again! :blush:


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## Precarious (Feb 6, 2012)

GreenOasis said:


> YAY! Oops...gotta' go change my pants again! :blush:


Oh, Carey...

 :no:


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## CoolMantid (Feb 6, 2012)

When my female becomes L6 do you think you will still have an L3 male?


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## Precarious (Feb 7, 2012)

Hertarem45 said:


> When my female becomes L6 do you think you will still have an L3 male?


I have no idea. I never count my chickens, or mantids, before they hatch. The girls are still laying ooths and incubation is around 45 days so they should be hatching for a while yet. I will try to move them all at L2 but you never know. I'll definitely be selling in batches because there is some space between the ooths.


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## Psychobunny (Feb 7, 2012)

Are you having any luck with X5 shooting with your MP-E yet?

The focal range is only 0.03mm (or so I read), so moving the camera by a hair's width

would make the whole frame blurry!!


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## Precarious (Feb 7, 2012)

Psychobunny said:


> Are you having any luck with X5 shooting with your MP-E yet?
> 
> The focal range is only 0.03mm (or so I read), so moving the camera by a hair's width
> 
> would make the whole frame blurry!!


Yeah, I shoot 5x all the time. Those jumping spider shots were 5x plus the dioptors!  I probably couldn't do it without resting my left hand against something.


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## Psychobunny (Feb 9, 2012)

Precarious said:


> Yeah, I shoot 5x all the time. Those jumping spider shots were 5x plus the dioptors!  I probably couldn't do it without resting my left hand against something.


You amaze me, I cant hold that still even holding my breath (which your not supposed to do!!LOL)

I have never used a lens anywhere near like the MP-E.

This will take work to get right, and I dont have CS4!! But the new version of Elements does everything

(except stacking).

Wait a second, did you say your sticking diopters on this thing!!!!!??????


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## Precarious (Feb 9, 2012)

Psychobunny said:


> You amaze me, I cant hold that still even holding my breath (which your not supposed to do!!LOL)
> 
> I have never used a lens anywhere near like the MP-E.
> 
> ...


I warned you it's a specialized skill. I had a year of daily practice with a camcorder, and macro video demands you hold those distances way beyond a single frame. After that macro photography came pretty easy.



Psychobunny said:


> Wait a second, did you say your sticking diopters on this thing!!!!!??????


Yeah, I stacked the Canon 250D and the Opteka 10x. For me that's easier than using extension tubes.


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## agent A (Feb 9, 2012)

I would literally send u some of my mantises just so u could get good pics and videos of them


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## CoolMantid (Feb 9, 2012)

agent A said:


> I would literally send u some of my mantises just so u could get good pics and videos of them


Same my Orchid is in need of a Photo Shoot!


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## Precarious (Feb 9, 2012)

agent A said:


> I would literally send u some of my mantises just so u could get good pics and videos of them


  That has actually happened.


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## agent A (Feb 9, 2012)

I will give u a hierodula multispina ooth when mine breed  

Hey did u get a packing box for that oxy yet? I have oxy fever lol


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## Termite48 (Feb 28, 2012)

Henry: You did it again, man. These are nice pics of my favorite of favorites.


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