Female Mantis - D700, 70-200mm w/500D

The fascination with bugs continues…now officially called “The Great Mantis Shoot”. Got to shoot them while they are here, could be gone tomorrow. Here are two more shots of the large female. I was snapping away in the breeze and a fly landed on the leaf beside the mantis. Well, with lightning speed she snapped the fly up and began feasting on it. I snapped a few with the fly but not quick enough to get anything in focus or any good. Not that you would want to see a fly being decapitated by a mantis…or would you?

Female Mantis 2 - D700, 70-200mm w/500D

Female Mantis - D700, 70-200 w/500D

Walking by the rose bush this morning I spotted this large female mantis. As I was about to get the camera I also spotted two more, males this time. Don’t remember seeing this many at once…

Shot this with my D700 with a 70-200mm f/2.8 and a Canon 500D close-up lens added. Also use a SB-800 with LumiQuest softbox off camera as a fill light. Pretty good detail in the shot as you can see by this 100% section off the head.

Female Mantis 100% view of head