Sorry Jules!

[Roman Kurywczak]

Another bug! Found this guy in my front yard yesterday.......as Mantis are very long, I focused in tight to capture the greusome action......this was just B4 dining.

Canon 1D Mark lll with the Sigma 180mm macro and the MT 24 twin lights at -1 and ISO 800 for 1/100 sec. and f32 HH. Removed light reflection in both eyes in PP'ing.

[denise ippolito]

Roman, I'm not fond of bugs but I adore Praying Mantis. Very nice close-up of the face and eyes. The kill is colorful and well exposed:eek: I like the way you cropped this, zooming in on the action.Well done.

[Dave Mills]

Roman, your bugging me with these shots. Well handled with the mantis' catch a big bonus...nice!!

[Steve Maxson]

Great behavior captured, Roman, good comp, and excellent sharpness on both heads. The prey item looks like it might be a European Hornet. I hope you got some images of the meal in progress. :) Well done.

[Julie Kenward]

My one question, my dear Roman, is this...

Did you stay and photograph the entire meal or did you run for cover???

Excellent details in the bugs. Would have loved a more diffused BG but what the heck - this will still give my dreams a workout tonight! YIKES!!!

[Roman Kurywczak]

My one question, my dear Roman, is this...

Did you stay and photograph the entire meal or did you run for cover???

Excellent details in the bugs. Would have loved a more diffused BG but what the heck - this will still give my dreams a workout tonight! YIKES!!!

C'mon Jules!!!.....of course I stayed through the feeding!!!....it's a guy thing!!!...I posted the B4 dinner...just to let you sleep easy! I promise to post some softer flowers tomorrow!

[Mike Moats]

Roman, you're sadistic :D Great details and colors. Love it.

[Morkel Erasmus]

great close comp of the gruesome action and pin sharp with great colours Roman! bring some more!! :)

[Christopher Miller]

That's some closeup, Roman! Love it! :D

[Bob Allen]

Sweet meal shot! There is a rectangular bit'o'dust on the mantid's prothorax. So glad you left in the mantid's false pupils, some people remove them. I'm impressed at the lack of noise at ISO 800. Nice work! Makes me hungry...

[Nick Palmieri]

Hey Bob, Are the black dots the "false pupils" and the actual eyes between the antennae????

[Bob Allen]

Arthropod eyes are nothing like eyes of any other critter. They are a collection of long narrow individual cylinders. These cylinders have no diaphragm, thus they have no pupil. Light strikes the surface of the cylinders & reflects differently, depending on the surface & the alignment of the cylinders. As the bug moves or you move, so do the dark areas which we humans interpret as a pupil. Our pupil stays in the same spot. Their false pupil moves 'cuz it's only a reflection of light. For more, see Wikipedia entries for ommatidium & arthropod eye.

[Vida van der Walt]

Excellent detail and great action captured.