Praying Mantis Stalking/Consuming Prey

[TheNevadanStig]

Came across this cool little critter out on the walk today. Only the second time I've ever seen one here. It was eating a bee when I found it, then it caught some sort of beetle.

Eating the bee:
093 by TheNevadanStig, on Flickr

133 by TheNevadanStig, on Flickr

Stalking the beetle:
144 by TheNevadanStig, on Flickr

I don't think the beetle is going to be OK:
152 by TheNevadanStig, on Flickr

153 by TheNevadanStig, on Flickr

169 by TheNevadanStig, on Flickr


Cleaning up after the meal:
192 by TheNevadanStig, on Flickr

 

[astroNikon]

Great shots
They are amazing insects aren't they
My kids had one last fall for several months.

 

[annamaria]

Great shots. I like how you captured the mantis looking right at you.

 

[BillM]

Some say, he thinks beetles taste like chicken. And some say he is from the same planet they are

 

[kundalini]

Good shots, but you can't have photos like this without a shout out to Don Dixon......

 

[TheNevadanStig]

I no longer eat beetles. They tend to get away then crawl around inside the helmet

 

[Kanthaka]

Well... I'm all creeped out now. Nice shots though!

 

[Hunter58]

Nice set. #5 is my favorite of the set.

 

[pthrift]

So I'm curious to know what equipment was used to take this set...

A big zoom macro lens? Super long telephoto? Tripod?

Just wondering.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4; probably while slacking off at work

 

[TheNevadanStig]

So I'm curious to know what equipment was used to take this set...

A big zoom macro lens? Super long telephoto? Tripod?

Just wondering.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4; probably while slacking off at work

D3200 with a cheap sigma 70-300 Hand held, no flash.

 

[pthrift]

Goes to show its not the equipment. ..

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4; probably while slacking off at work