defensive position

[wuwu]

i just got my canon 100mm macro lens last week, so i'll be taking some pics of my mantids soon, hopefully this weekend. i wanted to take some pics of mantids in their defensive position. what's the easiest way of getting them to go into that position, without stressing them too much? i've always had a hard time getting them to do that. they don't seem to be afraid of anything!

p.s. jumping out of nowhere and screaming "BOO!" didn't work.

 

[padkison]

My African Budwings go into defensive posture if I take an artist's paint brush and stroke the bottom of their abdomen. Once they get riled up by that, I can keep them going by waving my finger in their face.

 

[jplelito]

Sometimes, putting two adults (esp. two males or two females) together will do it. When one of them moves, the other will focus on it, and then go into a display, because they are the same size, and thus probably too big to be a food item.

But you have to be careful so they don't hurt each other... or worse!

Once they go into that mode, they are easy to keep aggravated if you keep touching their abdomens, usually.

 

[AFK]

p.s. jumping out of nowhere and screaming "BOO!" didn't work.

:lol: maybe try making a scary face next time and see if that will do the trick