# Something wicked this way comes...



## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

Ok these things creep me out! Never been a fan but they are cool to watch. This guy managed to find his way to the milkweed last night, so we did a brief session. He jumped on the lens once and yes I screamed like a little girl. I mean look at him - evil incarnate.


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## Koru (Sep 25, 2006)

praying mantis! i love 'em to bits. they do such wonderful things in the garden. did you know there is a company in America that breeds these things (and lady bugs) for organic farmers to put into their crops? they eat all the nasty things so the crops grow well. we have cocoons stuck to the mortar around our house all over the place. i put the mantii onto our weeping cherry trees and the rose bush. 

seems like yours has incredibly large eyes! i love the colours in your images, and love the bokeh in #2 (was it meant to be there?). very cool close ups. thanks for sharing them Rusty


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

Koru said:


> praying mantis! i love 'em to bits. they do such wonderful things in the garden. did you know there is a company in America that breeds these things (and lady bugs) for organic farmers to put into their crops? they eat all the nasty things so the crops grow well. we have cocoons stuck to the mortar around our house all over the place. i put the mantii onto our weeping cherry trees and the rose bush.
> 
> seems like yours has incredibly large eyes! i love the colours in your images, and love the bokeh in #2 (was it meant to be there?). very cool close ups. thanks for sharing them Rusty


1) not even you could make me like them. 2) I don't care if they waxed my truck for me 3) what you're seeing is the reflection off the glass of a print in our dining room. It was an accident, but I liked the way it backlit the mantis so I officially did it on purpose. 4) the mating thing - poor fellows!


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## txsnyper (Feb 8, 2007)

Cool pics......nasty bugs though. UGH

Those things freak me out. I run like a little school girl from those dang things.


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## Reality Czech (Jul 17, 2004)

Contrary to popular belief, they are not insects but aliens from outer space! 

Wonder what it would be like if they were 5 ft tall?:help:


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

Reality Czech said:


> Contrary to popular belief, they are not insects but aliens from outer space!
> 
> Wonder what it would be like if they were 5 ft tall?:help:


This one was only 1"


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

Reality Czech said:


> Contrary to popular belief, they are not insects but aliens from outer space!
> 
> Wonder what it would be like if they were 5 ft tall?:help:


If they where 5ft tall we would be a notch lower on the food chain. I saw a video of a mouse and praying mantis in the same container. Mantis killed the mouse that must have weighed 10x what he did and ate a big chunk of him.
They are SERIOUS little predators. Five foot mantis would be scary.

Rusty, great pictures.


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## Dolphin (May 21, 2004)

RustyBrown said:


> Ok these things creep me out!


 I have the same reaction to Stink bugs. I hate those things. It is the only bug, etc. that I really, truly have anxiety about. Almost all other insects and bugs intrigue me.


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## grandpa cracker (Apr 7, 2006)

Screamed like a little girl ?


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## Richlyn Concepts (May 12, 2006)

I would not want one of those to jump on the back of my neck, but they are welcome in large numbers in my garden. They can rid a garden of pest in no time.


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

*Correction*



grandpa cracker said:


> Screamed like a little girl ?


When I'm shooting these things it's from a very short distance with a serious magnification factor involved. If anything jumps on the lens it will get your attention if your looking through the viewfinder.

At 6'2" it was probably more like a big girl scream.


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## MsAddicted (Jan 25, 2005)

You know, if thats a male he is thinking....man buddy you think you have it bad! 

And if its a female, it sure looks like she is looking at you and thinking.....if only I were 5 feet tall you'd make a nice meal!


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## Koru (Sep 25, 2006)

i _think_ it's a male. the females have a rounded 'belly'.


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Now that's funny, Kaylin. Green coming your way. 
Mike


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## rendon (Jul 15, 2006)

so creepy looking that he is cute......lol...nice pictures.....


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

*Last call...*

for our buddy


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## grandpa cracker (Apr 7, 2006)

Once I was feeling around for the bathroom light and bumped into my wife who was on her way out. I`m not gonna tell you what my scream sounded like.


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## Richlyn Concepts (May 12, 2006)

RustyBrown said:


> for our buddy


That is some really awesome pics. 
I'm gonna have nightmares now of a giant 5' female mantis praying over me........just before....aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh


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