Here are the 30 funniest images of stunning mantises that a photographer captured

More info: Instagram

Wildlife photographer Pang Way captures incredible close-up shots of various small creatures, with a particular focus on mantises or praying mantises. These insects are known for their distinctive appearance, with prominent front legs bent as if praying. Despite their small size and inconspicuous nature, mantises are formidable predators.

Mantises have triangular heads and can turn 180 degrees, allowing them to scan their surroundings with their compound and simple eyes. They are usually green or brown, blending in well with their environment. Mantises are patient predators that lie in ambush or stealthily stalk their prey. Their front legs are equipped with spikes to quickly snare and immobilize their victims.

Pang Way’s photography showcases these little creatures’ stunning beauty and ferocity, often capturing them in the act of preying on moths, crickets, grasshoppers, flies, and even other mantises. One striking aspect of their behaviour is the mating ritual, where the female may eat the male after or even during mating. Surprisingly, this cannibalistic behaviour does not deter males from engaging in reproduction.

Research has revealed that when female Chinese mantises consume their mates, they gain essential amino acids that positively impact the number of eggs they lay. Females may lay twice as many eggs after cannibalizing a male compared to those that don’t engage in such behaviour.

Pang Way’s photography offers a unique glimpse into the fascinating world of mantises, capturing their beauty, predatory prowess, and intriguing mating habits. These photographs testify to the diversity and complexity of nature’s wonders, even among seemingly inconspicuous creatures.

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