Oxyothespis dumonti fresh nymphs! (North African Grass Mantis)

[Precarious]

One of my 3 ooths hatched 7 nymphs yesterday. Then a straggler dropped out a few minutes ago.

They are pretty tiny so I had to use my extension tubes to get the super close ups. That means these aren't my best pics, and shows why I need the Canon MP-E 65mm lens! If anyone wants to buy it for me I will give you some free mantids. It's only $950. :blink:

Here they are soon after hatch...

 

[Precarious]

And this is what they look like the next day.

Size reference...

They are very jumpy with their little grasshopper-like rear legs.

 

[Precarious]

I transfered them to a new home with springtails but also added melanogaster fruit flies.

One was brave enough to grab one!

 

[SilentDeviL]

Wow Nice Pic's cool look Mantis Keep this updated waiting to see more .

 

[twolfe]

Nice! And that's a cool looking mantis. That fly looks so big compared to the mantis, and I know how tiny those flies actually are.

Is that your finger? If so, your fingernail is cleaner than mine right now.

 

[dlemmings]

very nice pics, I am always trying to get good close ups of my gals & guys...thanks for posting

 

[lunarstorm]

Awesome, glad you didn't have duds! I especially liked the size reference shot, amazing that one *did* eat a d. mel.!

 

[rs4guy]

Great shots as always!

 

[myzticalboi]

Nice looking mantis right there. Great pictures!

 

[bobericc]

i like the eyes!

 

[Precarious]

Thanks everyone!

i like the eyes!

Yeah, that's what got me. That's why I wanted them. Will be fun to watch them grow up.

 

[Idolofreak]

Congrats and good luck with them!

 

[meaganelise9]

Yay! I knew they'd hatch. Thanks for posting these. It's so much more than I can see with the naked eye (and my eyes aren't good). They'll stop being so jumpy in a week or so.

 

[Precarious]

Is that your finger? If so, your fingernail is cleaner than mine right now.

That's actually my little toe. I have to use both hands for the camera so I put the nymph on my toe and lean in. I have unnaturally long toes so I use them a lot for holding mantids and other stuff like pealing bananas and brushing my teeth.

Just kidding.

Yeah, that's my index finger. I take a fair amount of photos and videos with my hands in them. I don't want to look all grubby so I try to keep them clean. Plus I hate to get my hands dirty. I'm not a germaphobe or anything (bring it on, germs!) but I wash my hands often.

 

[yen_saw]

Very nice close up Henry, thanks for sharing!

 

[Chivalry]

Oh my gosh... for some reason the fingernail pic didn't impress their tininess upon me as much as the fruit fly pics. WOW.

 

[Precarious]

More hatch photos...

And some (grainy) pics from 5 days later, eating a small melanogaster fruit fly...

 

[frogparty]

THE LAST PIC MAKES IT LOOK LIKE THE LITTLE FELLA IS LICKING ITS LIPS!!

 

[Mvalenz]

These mantids look really cool. Great pics.