Photographer Captures Amusing Pics Of Stunning Mantises, And Here Are 30 Of The Best Ones
Wildlife photographer Pang Way shoots a lot from up close. Mostly, little critters that don't normally catch our attention and that are so small, we walk right past them without even noticing them.
A big and important part of Way's work is mantises or praying mantises like people like to call them. They got this name for their prominent front legs, which are bent and held together at an angle that suggests the position of prayer.
But regardless of what you call them, these insects are formidable predators. They have triangular heads poised on a long "neck" or elongated thorax. Mantises can turn their heads 180 degrees to scan the area with two large compound eyes and three other simple eyes located between them.
Typically green or brown and well camouflaged in their surroundings, mantises lie in ambush or patiently stalk their quarry. They use their front legs to snare their prey with reflexes so quick that they are difficult to spot with the naked eye. Their legs are further equipped with spikes for snaring prey and pinning it in place.
Few photographers have portrayed just how stunning these little berserk fellas are. And Way is one of them. Continue scrolling and enjoy these fascinating pics.
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I love learning about animals and nature, so it isn't often that I can say, "There's something I haven't seen before." That having been said... There's something I haven't seen before! And it's awesome!
It's usually the moths, crickets, grasshoppers, and flies who receive unwanted mantid attention. However, these brutal insects will also eat others of their own kind. What really stands out is the mating behavior of the adult female, who sometimes eats her mate just after—or even during—mating. In their defense, however, this 'fetish' seems not to deter males from participating in reproduction.
I mean, maybe it's a sacrifice they make willingly. A 2016 study found that when female Chinese mantises consume their mates, they acquire important amino acids that are then incorporated into the eggs they lay, appearing to lay twice as many eggs after cannibalizing a male than they normally would.
So while the male would probably like to live and mate with multiple females, at least his death is not in vain; his nutrients give his DNA an elevated chance of getting passed on to the next generation.
As for humans, we shouldn't be afraid of their saw-like arms and alien eyes; they pose no threat to those who aren't insects, geckos, or hummingbirds.
I know Crane style and will use a illegal kick to the face, watch yo'self!
"I got into wildlife photography out of curiosity," Way told Bored Panda. "It's something I have been interested in since I was a child."
"Mantises are my favorite insects. For me, mantises are the perfect models for macro photography."
Way started taking photos of mantises in 2013. Now, he has photographed over 100 species of them and has vowed to continue looking for more.
The photographer said one needs both luck and skill to take a good mantis photo. However, Way welcomes the challenge. "Mantises may look aggressive but actually they are very gentle and they all look like a professional models."
When you merge mantis and a butterfly this is the result, and its beautiful!
This is a subadult (juvenile) female of the same species as the first picture in this post, the spiny flower mantis.
It won't be a juvenile mantis, as soon as they emerge from their eggs, they have to find somewhere safe immediately. If an adult mantis is nearby, including its mother, it'll be eaten if it is seen.
Note: this post originally had 32 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
I didn't know mantis came in so many beautiful forms. It is a feast for the eyes.
I can't say I've ever thought, "I sure wish someone would post a bunch of pictures of insects", but I'm very glad they did. Those were really cool!
This article makes me so happy. Praying Mantis is my all time favorite bug, with a tie between the dragonfly and bumblebee a close second. They’re so aware of you. If you’re looking at a mantis that’s sitting on your finger and they’re looking back at you, then you move your hand, they’re the only bug I know who will turn their head to keep you in their sight. I will go to great lengths to protect them from people who want to just kill them. I’ll move them to a safe area and release them there rather than let them be killed. (Yeah, I’m THAT weirdo.)
Hehe, I'm that weirdo too, only with spiders.
Load More Replies...I love mantises. They are so colorful and pretty. I love to hold them and watch their heads turn like they can hear me when I talk to them. Bonus: They love to eat spiders!!!!
Really beautiful and fascinating insects (plus, amazing photography to boot). Many of them look like they are from an alien world.
Big shout out to MantisGirl13 for all the information about these intriguing insects!!!
Thanks! I'm glad that my knowledge helped! Usually most people don't really care about the specifics and so most of what I know is useless to everyone but me. ;)
Load More Replies...I'm. so afraid of bugs, , I usually scroll quickly past. But, these are so beautiful. I still wouldn't touch one though
If you made a calendar with 12 of the most AWESOME I would buy it. In fact, make two years in a row. There are enough MAGNIFICENT creatures to do that & not double once. Also have a short piece on where the Mantis lives & how you "caught" her. I LOVED ALL THE PHOTOS.
I didn't know that they comes with different color like that, and that pink one look like he/she is dancing.
There are thousands of species of mantis, all different colors, shapes and sizes.
Load More Replies...Absolutely beautiful photography. My only addition would be the mantis's names. I was very curious as to how the names given them represented them. Keep up the wonderful work showing us the amazing living planet on which we live.
I am so awed by the beauty of these insects and also the talent of the artist who took the pictures. What patience this person must have, to capture such beauty. Thank you for sharing these magnificent photos.
Amazing pictures of this awesome creature. Who knew they came in so many different styles.
What beautiful wonders, I feel like the are intelligent creatures!
Just stunning. Awesome photos, really give the mantis's the attention they deserve.
Absolutely stunning! But I wish you had labeled them , and told us where you had photograghed them.
If you want to check the comments section of each photo, I filled in the species name and some information about each species.
Load More Replies...Please tell me that he does do like the photographers do with the frogs, freeze them and then pose them?
Celso Alves Achei as fotos maravilhosas, este é um presente de DEUS e uma Dádiva da Natureza, Parabéns para os Fotógrafos.
Where is the information? What are these varieties called? Where do they live? What size are they?
I'm working on adding that information in the comments section of the posts.
Load More Replies...WOW the photographer BRAVO Folks remember these are FEMALES, the males are smaller and not as colorful. The Females eat the males after mating. Just think if Jill Biden had done that Joe would not be here as the demented patient he is!
Actually, not all of them are female. Some are males, some are too young to tell. It's also not true that females are more colorful than males. They tend to have very similar coloring, and the male often looks more interesting than the female!
Load More Replies...I didn't know mantis came in so many beautiful forms. It is a feast for the eyes.
I can't say I've ever thought, "I sure wish someone would post a bunch of pictures of insects", but I'm very glad they did. Those were really cool!
This article makes me so happy. Praying Mantis is my all time favorite bug, with a tie between the dragonfly and bumblebee a close second. They’re so aware of you. If you’re looking at a mantis that’s sitting on your finger and they’re looking back at you, then you move your hand, they’re the only bug I know who will turn their head to keep you in their sight. I will go to great lengths to protect them from people who want to just kill them. I’ll move them to a safe area and release them there rather than let them be killed. (Yeah, I’m THAT weirdo.)
Hehe, I'm that weirdo too, only with spiders.
Load More Replies...I love mantises. They are so colorful and pretty. I love to hold them and watch their heads turn like they can hear me when I talk to them. Bonus: They love to eat spiders!!!!
Really beautiful and fascinating insects (plus, amazing photography to boot). Many of them look like they are from an alien world.
Big shout out to MantisGirl13 for all the information about these intriguing insects!!!
Thanks! I'm glad that my knowledge helped! Usually most people don't really care about the specifics and so most of what I know is useless to everyone but me. ;)
Load More Replies...I'm. so afraid of bugs, , I usually scroll quickly past. But, these are so beautiful. I still wouldn't touch one though
If you made a calendar with 12 of the most AWESOME I would buy it. In fact, make two years in a row. There are enough MAGNIFICENT creatures to do that & not double once. Also have a short piece on where the Mantis lives & how you "caught" her. I LOVED ALL THE PHOTOS.
I didn't know that they comes with different color like that, and that pink one look like he/she is dancing.
There are thousands of species of mantis, all different colors, shapes and sizes.
Load More Replies...Absolutely beautiful photography. My only addition would be the mantis's names. I was very curious as to how the names given them represented them. Keep up the wonderful work showing us the amazing living planet on which we live.
I am so awed by the beauty of these insects and also the talent of the artist who took the pictures. What patience this person must have, to capture such beauty. Thank you for sharing these magnificent photos.
Amazing pictures of this awesome creature. Who knew they came in so many different styles.
What beautiful wonders, I feel like the are intelligent creatures!
Just stunning. Awesome photos, really give the mantis's the attention they deserve.
Absolutely stunning! But I wish you had labeled them , and told us where you had photograghed them.
If you want to check the comments section of each photo, I filled in the species name and some information about each species.
Load More Replies...Please tell me that he does do like the photographers do with the frogs, freeze them and then pose them?
Celso Alves Achei as fotos maravilhosas, este é um presente de DEUS e uma Dádiva da Natureza, Parabéns para os Fotógrafos.
Where is the information? What are these varieties called? Where do they live? What size are they?
I'm working on adding that information in the comments section of the posts.
Load More Replies...WOW the photographer BRAVO Folks remember these are FEMALES, the males are smaller and not as colorful. The Females eat the males after mating. Just think if Jill Biden had done that Joe would not be here as the demented patient he is!
Actually, not all of them are female. Some are males, some are too young to tell. It's also not true that females are more colorful than males. They tend to have very similar coloring, and the male often looks more interesting than the female!
Load More Replies...