Mantis Diet - fish lizards birds and mice

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I'll leave the deletion of Giesle's photo to Rick's discretion. He did, rather blatantly, mention no photos or videos in his post above. I'm on record for being quite okay with the feeding of feeder fish to mantises, though I try not to intentionally rub anybody's over-sensitive, rosie red nose in it.

 
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I guess that it's worth noting that this pic, in terms of technique and artistry is certainly the best that I have ever seen since I've been here, and possibly the best ever. Let's hear comments from the "serious" photographers! I think that it would be a serious shame to delete this. I shall copy it now, though, just in case!

 
Have had a chinese sub adult devour a baby snake before it became a adult and it ate the entire thing!

 
PhilinYuma said:
I guess that it's worth noting that this pic, in terms of technique and artistry is certainly the best that I have ever seen since I've been here, and possibly the best ever. Let's hear comments from the "serious" photographers! I think that it would be a serious shame to delete this. I shall copy it now, though, just in case!
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Not that I still do any serious photography(I used to enjoy it, before I started working in film developing).

I haven't fed any vertabrates to my mantids, only because I don't like the idea of the mess and smells that may come with it. ;)

I think it is a great photo. :)

 
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Giesle, what a great image. It's one of the more creative images I've seen. The gold fish left behind looks sad to lose his buddy. Can you share your lighting technique with us?

If this image gets removed, you should re-post it in the mantis photo section.

Tammy

 
Scott (Giesle), I looked at your insect images on Smugmug. You have a few whimsical mantis images. You should create a post with your "Newly hatched mantises," "Cowboys and Aliens" and "Old Clothes." I think others would enjoy seeing them.

 
Fantastic photo giesle!!!
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Eeek. Sorry about posting a pic here, Rick. I wouldn't have done it if I had read your comment. I was just about to upload the video I took about an hour ago of the same situation too. :) I had to place a dock across the top of the bowl though. I couldn't get her to stand on the edge. Thanks all for the encouragement. I'm glad you have enjoyed it. Tammy, my lighting was a camera mounted hotshoe with a diffuser aimed right at it and another off camera flash sitting next to the bowl pointing straight up and bouncing off the ceiling. It worked great...didn't have to clone out a single light reflection. I might also later do what you suggested and post a link of other pics. Thanks.

 
PhilinYuma said:
I guess that it's worth noting that this pic, in terms of technique and artistry is certainly the best that I have ever seen since I've been here, and possibly the best ever. Let's hear comments from the "serious" photographers! I think that it would be a serious shame to delete this. I shall copy it now, though, just in case!
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I have this pic up on a couple of critique sites and it is doing very well, but your comment literally just made my day. Thank you, Phil. I basically don't make anything off my pictures, so people enjoying my work is what keeps me going. Although, a couple pics of the same mantis and my dog made it in a few UK papers a couple of weeks ago, so that paid for my mantis hobby. :) That sort of thing isn't all that common for me though.

 
A budwing will eat anything and I mean ANYTHING, but I'm not sure what the point is, is there a point? I don't think it's that cruel but it's unneeded, if you want to see a good fight feed it a grasshopper almost the same size, get your camera, but be ready for a mantis down in a clean brawl. But maybe hand feeding a tiny fish is more exciting to some?

I don't mean to sound negitive or anything but I just don't see the thrill in it, all I see is a bacteria problem.

But by all means "to each his/her own" is my thinking. (It is a great photo though ;) )

 
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probably be more interesting if it was a pirahna or a oscar or something eating the fish or even a boku!

 
angelofdeathzz said:
A budwing will eat anything and I mean ANYTHING, but I'm not sure what the point is, is there a point? I don't think it's that cruel but it's unneeded, if you want to see a good fight feed it a grasshopper almost the same size, get your camera, but be ready for a mantis down in a clean brawl. But maybe hand feeding a tiny fish is more exciting to some?

I don't mean to sound negitive or anything but I just don't see the thrill in it, all I see is a bacteria problem.

But by all means "to each his/her own" is my thinking. (It is a great photo though ;) )
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The point, at least for me, the photographer, is art that is different from the norm. If I was taking snapshots documenting mantises eating different prey, then I possibly would have chosen another subject, but nobody but me would ever see them because it wouldn't be art and I just don't do nonart.....at least that's my goal, not necessarily always the outcome. It might be possible, but I can't think of a way to take a picture of a grasshopper getting eaten by a mantis and make it more aesthetically pleasing than the picture I posted. Nor would it be as unusual. I do totally understand your view though, coming from someone that's big into mantises and someone who might enjoy looking at documented photos more than artsy photos.

 
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Peter Clausen said:
I'll leave the deletion of Giesle's photo to Rick's discretion. He did, rather blatantly, mention no photos or videos in his post above. I'm on record for being quite okay with the feeding of feeder fish to mantises, though I try not to intentionally rub anybody's over-sensitive, rosie red nose in it.
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Guess that wasn't clear enough. I personally don't care, but some people here do.

 
Gill said:
Was the fish killed before being fed to the mantis?
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I've never fed my mantises anything that wasn't kicking. Although, I figure you could feed a budwing a rock and it would be happy. :) I also tried to get a video of it catching one out of the bowl, but it didn't work, because she just hung upside and stayed there after her attempt and miss. That really surprised me. She acted like she could breathe underwater. I think if I had less water in the bowl it might work. If you're interested in seeing the video click on "my flickr" in my signature and it's currently the first thing. I don't plan on keeping it on my Flickr page for too much longer though.

 
giesle said:
I've never fed my mantises anything that wasn't kicking. Although, I figure you could feed a budwing a rock and it would be happy. :) I also tried to get a video of it catching one out of the bowl, but it didn't work, because she just hung upside and stayed there after her attempt and miss. That really surprised me. She acted like she could breathe underwater. I think if I had less water in the bowl it might work. If you're interested in seeing the video click on "my flickr" in my signature and it's currently the first thing. I don't plan on keeping it on my Flickr page for too much longer though.
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Your new here so I'll give you that you don't know the fact that mantis don't breathe through their head area, they have a simple lung in their abdominal cavity and most have a mono ear down there also. ;)

They don't have teeth either, but if you could get a shot of one holding a toothbrush in one raptor and a blow drier in the other, now that would be artsy. :tooth: :D

 

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