Mantis

Identification - pnigomantis medioconstricta.

Early safari but the sun was out with a vengeance. Apart from making me hot and sweaty so early in the day, it made judging exposure very difficult. The camera just seems to over expose everything in bright sunlight. I have researched this and apparently it is a common fault with the D7000. No wonder I prefer dull conditions and using flash.

Shadows were a problem too. No matter what angle I chose to shoot, so much detail was lost in the black shadows. I rarely have to throw images in the bin because of exposure as most can be rescued, but once an image is burned out, no PS magic can pull it back.

I still got some good images to choose from. This mantis is a new addition to my collection, I haven't managed to identify her yet, as she is not covered by FOBI, the Indonesian bug ID web site, so it is going to be a long struggle.

I couldn't get a good angle on the leaf, so chased her onto my hand so I could turn her around. She kept wanting to face the bush or away from the light, one or the other. So by repositioning my body accordingly, I could collect the shots that I wanted.

Sitting on the tip of my middle finger, you get an idea of the size. Not tiny, but still a juvenile, as can be seen by the abdomen which curls up over her back. Once the mantis reaches maturity, the abdomen flattens out in line with the thorax.

Very cute and co-operative little critter.

Dave