Ghostie's Pics Thread

[Ghostie]

Ok instead of posting pictures all over in the wrong forums I'll just keep posting new pics here in this one thread. Will only be posting pics I feel are any good in here.

This was taken with a junky camera and some careful steady hands a day after the Orchid's molt.

She got huge! Will post more pics of my other mantids when I get any worth while.

Thanks for looking. Full size image might not be so hot though.

 

[Ghostie]

Still kinda fuzzy picture.

I'll see if I can get the old DSLR to do any better one day.

 

[Ghostie]

L2? Shield Mantis

Grooming

 

[Mr.Mantid]

Very nice!! What Instar is yours at? My orchid is at L5 right now. Not sure On my creo, i think L3 or L4.

 

[Ghostie]

I'm not positive to be exact. 3rd?

I don't even know how to tell. lol

I think the shields that was their first molt. Their head grew much larger. I still have much to learn.

I thought I had a pic of the little CreoGem but I guess not. I'll try again tomorrow and maybe with the tiny ghosts.

 

[Ghostie]

Here's one of my Ghosts. Best guess is L3 or so.. but to be honest I have no idea. lol

This one is very hard for me to photograph. I will have to try again soon with the ghost.

 

[Ghostie]

The Ghost mantis reminds me of Kokopelli when they bend forward and walk.

The Orchid mantis reminds me of a cat (eyes look like ears kinda) with funny legs/pants like the Disney character Alladin with those white baggy pants or something. haha

The Shields remind me of Dragonflies with their big heads.

The Creo is like one of those little striped crab looking spiders that sits on flowers.

They all have their own personalities. Little characters.

 

[Ghostie]

Here's my Creo.

It just finished molting last night and got bigger.

Stretching before her pose.

Posing

"put your hands in the air"

My first Gongy's

It has freckles!

 

[lancaster1313]

Nice! I like photo threads.

 

[ismart]

Very lovely photos!

 

[Ghostie]

Thanks guys.

I'm sure lots of folks already posted pics of these species already.

Just kinda doing it for my own fun I guess. :lol:

Hope you enjoy them.

Here's my mantis corner building up quickly. Dart frog tank on bottom.

Need another heat lamp for the other Violin. Prolly get that today!

I love these little net cages. Will have to order some more.

I was going to take a pic of my little Chinese but I think it's still molting or stuck, I can't tell. lol. I'm a newbie still. Maybe post some pics of my failed molt Dead Leaf later.

I actually gave away one Chinese, a ghost and a shield last night! With any luck we'll see pics of them later as adults.

 

[Ghostie]

My two mismolts!

Had to happen at some point being a newbie mantid owner!

The little Chinese didn't make it because I had a piece of tape on the lid.

I gave my second Chinese mantis away and am now Chinese-less!

Live and learn.

Also here is my Dead Leaf mantis.

I named her Sally because she fell apart like the girl in "Nightmare Before Christmas".

She still hangs from the roof and gets around! I gave her a cricket yesterday. She has antennae damage, two missing legs and missing "claw pointer leg" (I don't know what to call the leg that comes off the end of the claw).

I think I'll keep her alive since she did gobble down a whole cricket last night. She's useful if she's strong enough to do that. I have crickets running all around here. haha

I think you can see her pile of "cricket trimmings" in there somewhere.

I don't know if she is really a she, but Sally fit well.

 

[lancaster1313]

Sorry about your Chinese, the other mantid seems to be ok if it is eating. Hopefully it can hang properly for the next molt. I keep lame mantids and care for them as long as they will eat.

 

[yeatzee]

whats your DSLR setup? Maybe I can help.

 

[Ghostie]

I have a nikon D70s DSLR and the stock standard nikkor lens it came with. 80-200mm or 300mm I forget.

However I left it with my ex, and we all know how that can go. lol

So for now I am using my small Nikon coolpix s550 point and shoot camera. Just a basic nikon brick.

Although, it is 10MP and the DSLR is only 6 so I don't know how much better I will actually get besides being able to tune the perfect ISO and a hands of remote controlled image (no blur or shake).

What I really need to do is go purchase a new camera or a new lens or something.

Will be a while though.

 

[yeatzee]

high megapixel count means nothing..... a 6mp DSLR will ALWAYS have better IQ than a 10mp point and shoot.

 

[Ghostie]

I'll have to see if I can manage to get the DSLR back.

I woke up this morning and thought I had an extra Gongy appear out of thin air! Then when I woke up a tiny bit more and looked closer I forgot and realized he molted. A short newbie mantis owner heart attack later and I Was excited to see he grew. lol I thought one got into the other's cage or something. Such a newb!

 

[lancaster1313]

:lol: I once got a huge shock when my Carolina mantis molted and I didn't realize it. All my Chinese were small at L3 and the Carolina got huge overnight. I had just modified new containers for most of the mantids, and the larger Carolina mantis was in the same type of container as the others. I must have forgot that, and when I was looking at the containers, I saw these long banded legs in a container. I was startled and actually let out a yelp, thinking that a huge spider somehow got in with a Chinese. I also must have frightened the Carolina, cause that was the best threat pose I have ever seen! :blush:

 

[Ghostie]

lol I swear I did the same thing the other day. I was looking at my little tiny shields when I peered into the mismolted deal leaf mantis cup and saw huge legs moving and almost ran for the border. lol That was way creepy.