I was pleased to get this much detail on the ant

Tags:   red ant macro-life SpecInsect macro magister Queen Anne's lace

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I was out photographing insects, mostly damselfly, when this mantis nymph came into view in my frame. It's the first mantis I've seen this year, so I got a couple of photos. To my surprise, the damselfly then landed on the same plant. Yes, it is larger than the mantis, but that doesn't dissuade this consummate hunter.

The mantis very slowly turned its head, as shown here (even the tiniest ones are instinctively very patient hunters). Eventually it turned its whole body and was facing up. The damselfly didn't leave the plant in the several minutes I watched both insects; I suspect it decided to roost there for the night. I would guess the damselfly won't wake up tomorrow morning.

Tags:   damselfly mantis mantis nymph insect predator and prey insects

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. . . literally.

Tags:   macro spider spider with prey macro-life

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These were down low, among the grass, and so I had to get down low myself to get them against the sky. I'm assuming the black mass at the top is small insects that have hatched from the eggs, but all of it was tiny and I don't know what they are.

Tags:   insect eggs insect

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A dark shadow on the leaf as the sun shone on it was my hint of something underneath.

See other shots in my "monochrome" collection here: www.flickr.com/photos/cherylmolin/albums/72157710993266901

Tags:   insect eggs eggs

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