How many clerks does it take to sell a praying mantis? (pic)

EWTC · 10-22-2012, 02:45 PM

A friend of mine mentioned to me Saturday that he had seen a praying mantis for sale at a local pet shop. I’ve been meaning to get some mantids to photograph for some time, but they are very rarely offered for sale around Vancouver. So I dropped by the pet shop yesterday to take a look. Sure enough they had a nice big, green mantid for sale. Not surprisingly I didn’t recognize the species. So I went up to the clerk to get some information about the animal and its care. To make a long story short, they had absolutely no idea what species it was or where it came from. The best they could do was say was that it was imported from the USA. Unbelievable! I posted the entire, somewhat bizarre conversation on my blog, along with a couple more photos.

I took the photos using a white box made from foam core, illuminated with a single flash.

I suspect that this little beast is a giant Asian mantis, Hierodula membranacea, but I still need to confirm the identification...

Oh, and the answer to my question is four. It took four clerks to sell me this mantid.

Cheers,
EC
www.macrocritters.wordpress.com

mantid copyright ernie cooper 2012_filtered by ernie.cooper, on Flickr

Patriot · 10-22-2012, 03:21 PM

That's a nice shot!! They have those things everywhere in all colors here in Korea. I can't go to work without running into at least one. I love how they stare at you.

EWTC · 10-22-2012, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patriot

That's a nice shot!! They have those things everywhere in all colors here in Korea. I can't go to work without running into at least one. I love how they stare at you.

I am so envious! We don't have mantids here in Vancouver...

EC
www.macrocritters.wordpress.com

Elppan · 10-22-2012, 03:28 PM

Oh what a great shot! We occasionally get little ones sneaking in our plant shipments at work, I love playong with them. It's also hilarious because this tough girl at work is terrified of insects, so she freaks out when I let them climb on me while I.feed them pest insects from the other plants.

**SpecGrrl** · 10-22-2012, 08:10 PM

I bought a whole egg sac in the spring and saw one of the little guys in July.

I also have huge orb spiders in the garden and lots of bird, so...

That photo rocks like Zeppelin!

EWTC · 10-24-2012, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpecGrrl

I bought a whole egg sac in the spring and saw one of the little guys in July.

I also have huge orb spiders in the garden and lots of bird, so...

That photo rocks like Zeppelin!

LOL! Thanks!

EC
www.macrocritters.wordpress.com

Acro · 10-22-2012, 10:19 PM

Looks like an adult female!
I was never good at mantid ID, yet I've kept many.
Try the guys on manditforum,net, they will let you know.
And/or try this book http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/elytraa...ntidsCover.jpg It's helped me out many times.
Great pic!

Nubster · 10-23-2012, 12:41 AM

I love feeding them crickets. I always wondered how'd they do kept in a large enclosure. They have to be my favorite "bug".

Acro · 10-23-2012, 01:58 AM

They would do amazingly in a big enclousure. You would just have to be sure they got food as some feeder bugs tend to hide. But you would see them at their most natural stance, instead of hanging on the screen lid.

etane · 10-24-2012, 10:10 PM

Could you share what equipment you use for your macro photography?

That mantis shot is killer.

dprais1 · 10-24-2012, 10:22 PM

they dessicate quickly. i put an untreated sponge on top of the screen lid then put a platic cup/container on the sponge with a small hole drilled in the bottom so the h2o slowly drips into the tank, preferably on some leaves. mantids will drink and drink....

and watching them eat crickets is cool...but watching them catch and eat a butterfly is really cool

EWTC · 10-24-2012, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etane

Could you share what equipment you use for your macro photography?

That mantis shot is killer.

Sure...Olympus e-620 body and Zuiko 35mm macro lens. The critter was photographed in a foam core white box illuminated by a Vivitar 283 flash. I have details about constructing a 5 minute white box on my blog.

Cheers,
EC
www.macrocritters.wordpress.com

**SpecGrrl** · 10-31-2012, 07:22 PM

Lookit!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...2369902&type=1

GMYukonon24s · 11-01-2012, 07:00 PM

Nice pic

EWTC · 11-15-2012, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMYukonon24s

Nice pic

Thanks!

EC

10-22-2012, 02:45 PM	#1
EWTC Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 145	How many clerks does it take to sell a praying mantis? (pic) A friend of mine mentioned to me Saturday that he had seen a praying mantis for sale at a local pet shop. I’ve been meaning to get some mantids to photograph for some time, but they are very rarely offered for sale around Vancouver. So I dropped by the pet shop yesterday to take a look. Sure enough they had a nice big, green mantid for sale. Not surprisingly I didn’t recognize the species. So I went up to the clerk to get some information about the animal and its care. To make a long story short, they had absolutely no idea what species it was or where it came from. The best they could do was say was that it was imported from the USA. Unbelievable! I posted the entire, somewhat bizarre conversation on my blog, along with a couple more photos. I took the photos using a white box made from foam core, illuminated with a single flash. I suspect that this little beast is a giant Asian mantis, Hierodula membranacea, but I still need to confirm the identification... Oh, and the answer to my question is four. It took four clerks to sell me this mantid. Cheers, EC www.macrocritters.wordpress.com mantid copyright ernie cooper 2012_filtered by ernie.cooper, on Flickr

10-22-2012, 03:21 PM	#2
Patriot Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Spokane, Washington Posts: 895	That's a nice shot!! They have those things everywhere in all colors here in Korea. I can't go to work without running into at least one. I love how they stare at you. __________________ Proudly Serving in the United States Armed Forces, 2009-Present SUNSUN PIMP #41 *The Fraternity of Dirt #50* *Just because its dirt doesn't make it low tech.* What Can Dirt Do For You? Nikon Club Member #35

10-22-2012, 03:28 PM	#4
Elppan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 403	Oh what a great shot! We occasionally get little ones sneaking in our plant shipments at work, I love playong with them. It's also hilarious because this tough girl at work is terrified of insects, so she freaks out when I let them climb on me while I.feed them pest insects from the other plants. __________________ 15g Shrimp Hotel

10-23-2012, 12:41 AM	#8
Nubster Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (15/100%) Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Romney, West Virginia Posts: 3,308	I love feeding them crickets. I always wondered how'd they do kept in a large enclosure. They have to be my favorite "bug". __________________ EVIL Camera Pimp member #1 NIKON Pimp Club member #012 SunSun Pimp Club member #069 ~~20L OEBT/Super Tiger/PFR Tank~~ ~~20L Yellow Neo tank~~ Mr. Aqua Blue Diamond neo Tank

10-24-2012, 10:10 PM	#10
etane Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/83%) Join Date: May 2012 Location: Irvine CA Posts: 176	Could you share what equipment you use for your macro photography? That mantis shot is killer. __________________ My journals: 60F - 60P

10-22-2012, 08:10 PM	#5
SpecGrrl Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (12/100%) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 1,571	I bought a whole egg sac in the spring and saw one of the little guys in July. I also have huge orb spiders in the garden and lots of bird, so... That photo rocks like Zeppelin!

10-22-2012, 10:19 PM	#7
Acro Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (10/100%) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 254	Looks like an adult female! I was never good at mantid ID, yet I've kept many. Try the guys on manditforum,net, they will let you know. And/or try this book http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/elytraa...ntidsCover.jpg It's helped me out many times. Great pic!

10-23-2012, 01:58 AM	#9
Acro Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (10/100%) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 254	They would do amazingly in a big enclousure. You would just have to be sure they got food as some feeder bugs tend to hide. But you would see them at their most natural stance, instead of hanging on the screen lid.

10-24-2012, 10:22 PM	#11
dprais1 Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (8/100%) Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: mt prospect Posts: 476	they dessicate quickly. i put an untreated sponge on top of the screen lid then put a platic cup/container on the sponge with a small hole drilled in the bottom so the h2o slowly drips into the tank, preferably on some leaves. mantids will drink and drink.... and watching them eat crickets is cool...but watching them catch and eat a butterfly is really cool

10-31-2012, 07:22 PM	#13
SpecGrrl Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (12/100%) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 1,571	Lookit! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...2369902&type=1

11-01-2012, 07:00 PM	#14
GMYukonon24s Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: May 2009 Location: MICHIGAN Posts: 2,792	Nice pic __________________ 110g Tropical Community & Sakura Shrimp 55g BN Breeding Grounds, Peacock Gudgeons, Panda, Pygmies, & Smudge Spot Cories, Rili Shrimp 10g RCS and show guppies MIAPG - Come join us - Plantedtank - MI - Greatlakesaquaria

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