By chance I look out the window and there's a mantis sitting on the outside sill. So I whip out the camera and go to town. (Click a picture to see a larger version.)
| This shot gauges the distance to the target. |
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| As I approach, the subject turns around and looks directly at me - kinda spooky, with those huge green eyes. |
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| I get the bright idea to set the camera on the sill for clear, focused closeups. |
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| This is the best picture in the set. Notice the mantis has his forelegs folded up in the prayer position. |
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| His narrow horizontal profile lets him almost disappear. |
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| Pretty soon he gets agitated and extends his forelegs menacingly. |
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| He dances around, trying to frighten me away. |
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| This shot without the flash shows how parts of him are translucent. |
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| All the activity outside attracts the attention of the resident bug hunter inside. |
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| After the cat goes away the mantis turns around and relaxes a bit. |
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| About then I notice another mantis, noticeably larger and with brown eyes, just truckin' past nearby. |
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| It moves quickly to the neighbor's wall, where there is a small green one staying really still for some reason. |
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