Idolo...touchdown

[twolfe]

A day or two one of my Idolos molted. I took her (?) out today because I wanted to photograph her antenna. When I tried to give her a fly using a some tongs, she grabbed it, took a bite, and then gave me a threat display. I was planning on shooting portraits and wasn't set up. However, she held it long enough for me to move my tripod back and take a few pictures. You can see in the first photo part of the fly on the raptorial claw.

In the second photo, the fly is showing in her mouth. I thought about rotating this image a bit to straighten the claws. It reminds me of a referee holding his arms up for a touchdown (the fly is the whistle).

 

[ImTheBugFreak]

Very Awesome Photo's!

I love the imagination you have and it totally does look like a ref!

TOUCH DOWN!!!!!!!!!!! :clap:

 

[ShieldMantid1997]

"it's good!!!!!" Very cool photo!

 

[RevWillie]

SCORE!

Tammy again scores great photos!

 

[Idolofreak]

Great photos!

 

[sporeworld]

Caption: "I swear - he was THIIIIIS big...!"

 

[PhilinYuma]

Oh yeah! great pix! That's the sign that the umpire makes when a batsman hits a six, right?! :lol:

 

[ebjno2]

great shots [particularly given you had to change your set up] - I've been trying to get one to do this in front of the camera for some time - maybe I should try the fly and tongs technique!!

 

[Precarious]

Awesome!

I think you've got a male there.

 

[animalexplorer]

Great capture! Yes it looks to be a male kind of hard to tell with the antennae tucked a little behind the cranium.

 

[Amaybe]

This is so cool! So this is their attack pose? Do they actually attack humans after doing this? My mantis has struck at me accidentally before but it didn't hurt. I am new to all of this so sorry if this is a silly question.

 

[twolfe]

Thanks everyone.

Amy, Yes, it's a threat display/pose. But it made me laugh when it did it. I rarely hold my mantis just to hold them. I handle them when I'm cleaning their enclosure, taking them out to show someone or to photograph them, or picking them up when they escape (mostly the little nymphs or the Sinomantis) or crawl on my arm when I open their enclosure. My Idolos haven't struck me yet. When I was done with the photo shoot, I put my hand out, and he/she crawled back onto my hand. I got two female Budwings as adults, and one of them struck me hard enough to draw blood. I'm still a little leery around them now. The only other time I've had this happen is when I put my hand in one of the Mendica net enclosures when the room was dark. That one didn't hurt but surprised me.

 

[guapoalto049]

Hahah great shot! Maybe she can be a ref for your Vikings? Might need a jacket though...

I think its a she. Check out the tip of her abdomen: From the pic it looks like a flamingo beak. Males have an upturned half-cup shape.