Comments on: Praying Mantis http://www.insectpod.com/2007/09/25/praying-mantis-3/ A daily photographic look at the world of insects, spiders, creepies, crawlies and critters. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:59:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Solarn http://www.insectpod.com/2007/09/25/praying-mantis-3/#comment-169 Solarn Mon, 08 Oct 2007 11:54:55 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/09/25/praying-mantis-3/#comment-169 Well, the first time was when I was rather small and mistook one for a grass blade and I did poke at it, so it was kind of my fault, but the second time wasn't. I was at my grandfather's cousin's house at a family get-together and there were a few mantises flying around and climbing on everything. I was leaning on a table and one of them landed near my hand. I was lost in my thoughts so it surprised me and I lifted my hand, but it must have thought I was attacking it because it sliced at me. Well, the first time was when I was rather small and mistook one for a grass blade and I did poke at it, so it was kind of my fault, but the second time wasn’t. I was at my grandfather’s cousin’s house at a family get-together and there were a few mantises flying around and climbing on everything. I was leaning on a table and one of them landed near my hand. I was lost in my thoughts so it surprised me and I lifted my hand, but it must have thought I was attacking it because it sliced at me.

]]> By: DeeJaye6 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/09/25/praying-mantis-3/#comment-163 DeeJaye6 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 07:17:34 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/09/25/praying-mantis-3/#comment-163 Thor, I believe the "following" eyes is simply a trick of the way light reflects off their eyes. They have massive compound eyes, comprised of hundreds of tightly packed hexagonal cylinders. They radiate out spherically, so only the one you are looking directly at will appear to be black (the color at the other end of the cylinder). All the rest of the cylinders you are seeing from the sides, at an angle, and will be tan, green, etc. Solarn, OUCH! That's amazing to me. Did you do anything to make it feel threatened, like poking at it? I've held dozens of them, ranging in size from 10mm to 100mm and even petted the bigger ones, yet have never been sliced up by one... Thor, I believe the “following” eyes is simply a trick of the way light reflects off their eyes. They have massive compound eyes, comprised of hundreds of tightly packed hexagonal cylinders. They radiate out spherically, so only the one you are looking directly at will appear to be black (the color at the other end of the cylinder). All the rest of the cylinders you are seeing from the sides, at an angle, and will be tan, green, etc.

Solarn, OUCH! That’s amazing to me. Did you do anything to make it feel threatened, like poking at it? I’ve held dozens of them, ranging in size from 10mm to 100mm and even petted the bigger ones, yet have never been sliced up by one…

]]> By: Thor http://www.insectpod.com/2007/09/25/praying-mantis-3/#comment-136 Thor Sun, 07 Oct 2007 05:23:50 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/09/25/praying-mantis-3/#comment-136 They are photogenic mostly because they're content to observer everything while just sitting there, perfectly still. They usually fly away if you stick around too long, though. I found one once sitting very out of place on a white painted wall, just sunning itself. They follow you with staring eyes if you get close enough. They are photogenic mostly because they’re content to observer everything while just sitting there, perfectly still. They usually fly away if you stick around too long, though. I found one once sitting very out of place on a white painted wall, just sunning itself. They follow you with staring eyes if you get close enough.

]]> By: Solarn http://www.insectpod.com/2007/09/25/praying-mantis-3/#comment-124 Solarn Fri, 05 Oct 2007 18:36:01 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/09/25/praying-mantis-3/#comment-124 These buggers have cut me two different times. I'm not going anywhere near a praying mantis. They can cut deep enough to cause scary bleeding, even if the cut isn't dangerous. These buggers have cut me two different times. I’m not going anywhere near a praying mantis. They can cut deep enough to cause scary bleeding, even if the cut isn’t dangerous.

]]> By: DeeJaye6 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/09/25/praying-mantis-3/#comment-106 DeeJaye6 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 19:14:39 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/09/25/praying-mantis-3/#comment-106 She looks like she's pointing at something out of frame, like, "Well, I appreciate the interest, but-- WHOA! Look! It's Tom Hanks!!" She looks like she’s pointing at something out of frame, like, “Well, I appreciate the interest, but– WHOA! Look! It’s Tom Hanks!!”

]]> By: Reiver http://www.insectpod.com/2007/09/25/praying-mantis-3/#comment-70 Reiver Fri, 28 Sep 2007 05:59:56 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/09/25/praying-mantis-3/#comment-70 While it may be the same bug, it's a different 'shot'. To whit, it's not like you're showing variations-of-the-same-pose, at which point... hey, it's all good. While it may be the same bug, it’s a different ’shot’.

To whit, it’s not like you’re showing variations-of-the-same-pose, at which point… hey, it’s all good.

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