Nature Photography - Praying Mantis, Cayman, Hummingbirds and some Toads - ecoTrain

This Praying Mantis was literally a gift from heaven. I have only seen them once or twice before. My wife and I were sitting outside having a cup and I saw something landing. It was not a bird nor a butterfly but it was quite big. It landed a couple of feet from us and only then I saw what it was.

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What an opportunity and what an amazing creature. Whether they are rare or not, I’ve never seen it before.

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This is one of the biggest insects I’ve seen. It’s length is approximately 10 cm.

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The antenna of this big Mantis are relatively small. Compare that with the biggest antenna ever on this tiny grasshopper.

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I was walking through the field when I saw one little hop. Just one hop, so I knew it had to be there. I had to look hard and long to discover it but then I saw it hiding behind a piece of grass. It was very shy and very aware of me. When I stepped to the left it moved to the right. When I moved to the left it stepped to the right.

But after a while it became a bit curious and there it was with it’s lovely white eyes looking at the camera. The length of this grasshopper without the antenna is less than a cm.

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Staying with the small. This toad is not much bigger than the nail of my thumb. I’ve no idea whether it will grow bigger or not.

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This one will definitely grow bigger. It’s a Cane Toad of perhaps a close relative. This one is only 3 cm but it can grow to a length of 10 to 15 cm. Next to the eye you see the ear drum. And right next to that the enlarged paratoid gland. When attacked it secretes what’s called a Bufotoxin. They can be deadly to dogs and my dogs know that. They completely ignore them.

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I showed you this lizard in older post as well. @gardenbsquared/columbina-passerina-ecotrain
It came crawling through the bushes to enjoy a little bit of the late afternoon sun.

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There are also bigger reptiles around. This cayman I photographed in a canal close to our house. It’s about 3 feet long and no threat to humans.
Unfortunately I could only take one picture before it swam off.

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This is most likely another Esperanza species. With the naked eye these little white flowers it sits on look not really spectacular but with the macro lens I think they are gorgeous.

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Two different dragonflies. Dragonflies are carnivores and you can imagine by the way it holds the leave how it will crab an insect and devour it.

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Some of the plant life can be really spectacular close up. These are the forming leaves and flower buds from the Cassia alata bush.

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These flowers look majestic with their purple crowns in the middle. I’ve no idea what it might be.

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A garden is not complete without a couple of butterflies. These are the Banded Orange Heliconia (Drydula phaetusa) and the famous Monarch.

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I want to end this post by sharing some photographs of these beautiful birds of paradise.

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This my favourite picture of them all. What’s your favourite? Please let me know in the comment section.

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Thanks and much love,

Gardenbsquared



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And while you’re here, please check out this other great content on the ecoTrain.

@eco-alex/ecotrain-highlights-of-the-week-12th-18th-august-more-amazing-posts-brought-together-for-you




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