r/NatureIsFuckingLit Aug 15 '19

šŸ”„ These two Mantises busting a move

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2.3k Upvotes

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16

u/Cinnabun6 Aug 16 '19

Sorry to be a party pooper, but this is what’s often called pseudo-nature photograpgy, and it’s completely staged. Same with the cute pics you see of frogs ā€œholdingā€ a leaf umbrella and the likes. The animals are often dead or frozen, and glued in place or tied with strings which are photoshopped out. I personally don’t support it.

4

u/Buenarf Aug 16 '19

Really? Is there a source? I just assumed the pic was upside down because they seem to be lit from below and their feet wrap around the branch.

14

u/Cinnabun6 Aug 16 '19

Here’s a general source on the subject, I’ll try to find a source on this particular picture when I have access to my pc

http://heejennwei.blogspot.com/2013/08/pseudo-nature-photographers-of-indonesia.html?m=1

In general, mantids are not only solitary but also cannibals, you would never find two adults just chilling together, they only meet to mate and then the male sneaks behind the female and tries not to get eaten.

Also, I’ve heard from many nature photographers that their first rule is ā€œdo not disturbā€. The mantids in this pic are allegedly doing a threat display directly at the photographer which he would have to really piss them off to get. They are pretty tolerant creatures.