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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Mantids (Mantodea) » Tarachodidae » Iris » Mediterranean Mantis (Iris oratoria)
Photo#149809
Iris oratorio - Iris oratoria - male
Copyright © 2007 Paul Lenhart

Iris oratorio - Iris oratoria - Male
red sand dunes approx. 35 km E. of El Paso nr. Hueco Mountains along Hwy. 62, El Paso County, Texas, USA
September 26, 2007
Iris oratorio in a defensive posture. This male and the female I am submitting images of were found mating on a sunflower at night in the desert.

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Iris oratorio - Iris oratoria - male Iris oratorio - Iris oratoria - male Iris oratorio - Iris oratoria - male
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Contributed by Paul Lenhart on 2 October, 2007 - 8:46pm

Awesome!
How do you get them to do that? I've collected several, and none ever did this....
… Eric R. Eaton, 3 October, 2007 - 4:12pm login or register to post comments

 
Only the male would do go int
Only the male would do go into the full defense posture. I prodded him with forceps and he went into the posture. Then when he began to calm down, I'd blow on him and he'd keep doing it so I could get some more photos. He would also follow the lens of the camera. In the past I've also seen one going into the posture when my dog found it before me and sniffed and licked it.
… Paul Lenhart, 8 October, 2007 - 6:38pm login or register to post comments

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