Adult female Idolo

[giesle]

It was a long wait, but finally had an Idolo molt to adult about 10 days ago. I took this yesterday. I think she's about done changing colors. I wanted to get a shot of her on top of the flower and giving me the threat display, but the only threat display she gave me was when she crawled down to the side of the glass the flower was in and it was totally out of the blue when she did it. These flowers last a long time, so I'll try again in a day or two.

 

[agent A]

She's lovely

 

[Mex_Ghost]

what a nice picture!!!!, congrats for that beauty

 

[Bryce08]

WOW, I love the picture....I know you say you want her on top, but that picture is just perfect right underneath with the curve of the flower.

 

[hibiscusmile]

yea, why can't I take pics like this, u guys are not right :devil:

 

[twolfe]

Another great photo! And congrats on your female Idolo!

 

[sporeworld]

WOW, I love the picture....I know you say you want her on top, but that picture is just perfect right underneath with the curve of the flower.

+1

Gorgeous! And I have those same flowers at home - amazing fragrance!

 

[Precarious]

She's beautiful!

 

[giesle]

Thanks, all.

+1

Gorgeous! And I have those same flowers at home - amazing fragrance!

I know...right? They smell up the whole house....my favorite flower by far. Have to pull off the pollen sacs though, or the mantis will be gold from rubbing against them by the end of the shoot.

Here's a pic of the only threat pose she has ever given me. Also posting to kind of show my setup....flower duct taped tight in whiskey glass, glass on white poster board, poster board on bed and curved up and taped to wall. Normally, I shoot my mantises in my studio on a table, but I don't want to risk her jumping off onto the floor, so am doing the Idolo shooting on the bed where she can only crawl around.

 

[sporeworld]

Yeah - just be really careful with the duct tape - it can still be sticky on the sides or where you cut it.

 

[mkayum]

She's so ADORABLE! How big is she? Nice colors!

 

[Mvalenz]

Wow! So beautiful. Nice pics. Are those flowers off of a tree? I have been seeing flowers like that all over my neighborhood.

 

[agent A]

Yeah - just be really careful with the duct tape - it can still be sticky on the sides or where you cut it.

+1!!

i had duct tape in a cage with luna cats and all 30 got stuck and died

this was several years ago and i learned since then...

 

[Termite48]

These are very nice pictures of a very special mantis. I love the Idolos. One of mine gave the threat pose yesterday to a bee as it was getting close and the nymph was not interested in a meal right then. Your female is gorgeous. It is no wonder you take special care not to let her injure herself. Congrats on what you have achieved.

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Takes alot of good molts to be able to get that pic , nice!

 

[giesle]

Yeah - just be really careful with the duct tape - it can still be sticky on the sides or where you cut it.

Thanks for the tip. I really should have been more careful and will be sure there's not sticky left next time. That would ruin both of our days if she ripped a foot off that was stuck to it.

Wow! So beautiful. Nice pics. Are those flowers off of a tree? I have been seeing flowers like that all over my neighborhood.

Thanks. They are Stargazer lilies and grow out of the ground. They're really huge too and kind of make the large Idolo look smaller.

Unfortunately, my two males didn't make it. I really love the feathery antennae. One of them died two days after getting into a serious fight that I had to break up between him and another. I put more flies in than I ever had that day and I think one just accidentally hooked the other when going for a fly and from there the problem escalated. The other molted above a branch and fell, and I got home late that day and caught it too late. I got him to molt out, but he died a couple of days later.

 

[Idolofreak]

Pretty! :tt1: The Idolos at the zoo are all about L6 now. Can't wait till adult!