Don't Stick Your Fingers in the Cage
Death of a Goldfish
In the wild, Andrew feeds on fish, sponges, small crustaceans, nematode worms and protozoans.
Benny's diet is very specialized, consisting mainly of the interior of Ramy nuts, nectar from the Traveller's Palm tree, some fungi and insect grubs. He is also known to raid coconut plantations, and has been seen eating lychees and mangoes, which are also plantation crops.
« Parasites Turn Ants into Berries | Main | Weird Amphibians Make Some Sort of Conservation List »
Category: Photography • insect
Posted on: January 18, 2008 6:13 PM, by ableiman
We've brought you some of Igor Siwanowicz's incredible work in the past (Round I and Round II) but wanted to share some of his newer photos. Please visit his site and hire him to do the photos for your daughter's bat mitzvah or something...
A whole series demonstrating Igor's outstanding head shots below the fold...
If any of our more entomologically inclined readers want to chime in and attach names to these adorable mugs, please do so and we'll credit you.
Find more posts in: 
Life Science
Environment
YES! Send me a free issue of Seed.
If I like what I see, I'll receive 5 more issues (6 in all) for just $14.95. That's 50% off the cover price! If I'm not completely satisfied, I'll simply write "cancel" on the invoice and owe nothing. The free issue is mine to keep.
(Non-U.S. subscribers, click here.)
Comments
Stunning...
Any more info? --I mean, what sort of camera, settings, etc.? Or is that not available?
Thanks again... those are just beautiful.
Posted by: Anon | January 18, 2008 6:57 PM
Those are absolutely beautiful. On my way to his site now. I realize now I'm not sure I've ever seen a photo of an insect drinking water, certainly not a mantid. The shot of the mantis drinking is fantastic. They all are.
Posted by: Ian | January 18, 2008 7:18 PM
I'm no entomologist but I think their names are Buggy, Dougy and Fuggy!
Posted by: Homie Beear | January 19, 2008 1:21 AM
The one at the top is a dead leaf mantis, but it's impossible to tell (from this photo, but it's difficult in general) whether it's Deroplatys desiccata or Deroplatys lobata.
2nd and 5th are, from the eyes, one of the Creobroter mantids, west Asian flower mantises. Without a body view it's hard to tell which.
3rd one down, could just be a standard European Mantis religiosa.
4th could be a bark mantis, Trachodes sp. It's at least equally likely to be a Stagmomantis carolina, however.
6th one down could be Gongylus gongylodes, the "Wandering violin mantis". Although maybe not; they usually have distinctly curved antennae as well as the growths on the head.
7th one down can ONLY be Idolomorpha dentifrons, the "alien-headed" or Cone-headed mantis.
Bottom photo is probably an orchid mantis, Hymenopus coronatus. The wonderful color and the shape of the peaky eyes suggest this.
These are mostly tentative IDs, though, don't take them as definite. For some of them, there would need to be more view of the body and even so, there are a lot of overlaps between some spp.
Posted by: Luna_the_cat | January 19, 2008 12:41 PM
Ooh, update. I just looked at the photographer's site, and the 4th one down is DEFINITELY Stagmomantis carolina. It's the only mantis to do those wonderful wing-spread threat displays.
Posted by: Luna_the_cat | January 19, 2008 12:45 PM
Update 2: another photo identifies #6 as a Zoolea sp., a horned ground mantis, and #2&5 is Creobroter gemmatus.
Posted by: Luna_the_cat | January 19, 2008 2:45 PM
I'm no entomologist but I think their names are Buggy, Dougy and Fuggy!
Posted by: Homie Beear | January 19, 2008 1:21 AM
Sounds about right! LOL! These PICS are astounding! The man does have a gift with the lens! I would hire him for a bat mitzvah! LOL!
Dave Briggs :~)
Posted by: Dave Briggs | January 22, 2008 5:17 PM