In April 2024 I spent a day with CativeLight Photography photographing macro insects (mostly mantises). It was a fascinating day with some curious-looking creatures. Below is a selection of images from that day.
Orchid Mantis
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/983727d4-2065-425e-a716-ffcadb8359ca_rw_3840.jpg?h=536a5b33bd03daa826e4bd9810420cb1)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/800b7171-a6a6-48df-88c4-b19b213264af_rw_1920.jpg?h=8a99ac8f03f31e9f5fe85042d7462d29)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/faaab533-b0dc-493b-95d0-2e2267342677_rw_1920.jpg?h=038e569e0c2c303150280b3f3768fa76)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/b6d40383-0f9a-40b7-ac9d-66d38c61b586_rw_3840.jpg?h=8bae93351c368f4b46e4f0318ca14a38)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/7ba3c584-e8bf-4ce5-869d-aab2b2d205a1_rw_1920.jpg?h=ecb35a0655a87f33aea53d834f2280ff)
The head of this mantis is only about 2-3mm across.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/0e304a60-4322-4575-9732-84f265f1a34e_rw_3840.jpg?h=ced3045761072204162e2b319af0944d)
Asian Green Mantis
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/ec91a776-825e-44ef-be96-c2c6b79f8d36_rw_3840.jpg?h=e95b6cebb2b2ab2aeffb5b6b4889417a)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/db405114-080c-4000-9381-adf9f7ec8ed6_rw_3840.jpg?h=de2ec3683b3831902d4ddc4e2d94e969)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/fbc26f94-2dce-4223-9f83-dc16a2e880cb_rw_1920.jpg?h=63ab19393431db5237a38e9e880ef401)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/40078128-5c7f-414b-bcfa-bde35404e7be_rw_3840.jpg?h=aa08ac862c3129a10d9f61464706707f)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/2ed93f79-e227-4f21-96e8-3899b4dce056_rw_3840.jpg?h=7eeb61615965c4a6564122b29ef715e1)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/47506c9e-9c60-47ba-bae4-e4eee7992597_rw_1920.jpg?h=b1bb2eb28897cc62f6bda05c7a2bd0a7)
Bud Wing Mantis
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/5342ff2a-29a5-42a5-bce9-b49748797204_rw_3840.jpg?h=4b70ed63bbd63fd722c0d3837cbc57ad)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/8a41ab4d-5b18-46c5-ac4b-a2b8607d8579_rw_3840.jpg?h=919fdd216db4b2fa29bbfcf5b216ce2e)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/92999030-8753-451a-b81b-eb0411c154ec_rw_1920.jpg?h=2b350ac3ff91c8fe8c92a59e34ea86da)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/e17fe214-48be-4f7f-ae3b-5c820490abc9_rw_3840.jpg?h=fddad318420698b7aa9eb807e9e44e12)
African Fruit Beetle
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/aba90169-1994-4bb2-825d-d650f11629ca_rw_1920.jpg?h=d8f19140b39a718fd5b9cd52a0a81cb1)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/6178c6be-47de-46fc-a6af-ed4d7918ad53_rw_1920.jpg?h=d55a02005e813af6347650437eda2439)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/dd21192c-f15b-414d-98a1-3c13181ae6c3_rw_1920.jpg?h=9582040ae285b5fd2e7933139c0cd92a)
Ghost Mantis
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/7ffff0d2-4232-4e74-809a-3d71ec814922_rw_3840.jpg?h=c6475dc15688d824b2e0f532bcf4fc36)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/82139552-17f4-4f54-a550-8d32fce77a15_rw_3840.jpg?h=607482db0296ab525019e9463e13f8c7)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/d744d798-0b62-4ee1-afc3-ad8ed51fad1c_rw_1920.jpg?h=3ea36460f352e575f4e00fdd523807bf)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/fb878bd6-2ecc-4dd6-a71b-b232ce77ef28_rw_3840.jpg?h=5dc772b01d4d9b28dada7491b35b3f17)
Giant African Millipede
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/2fe25d66-443b-4639-8db1-157f503e819c_rw_3840.jpg?h=21176453d7f0845a69939d0019ae8d9e)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/cc78ccbe-0595-43f8-a059-080727523166_rw_3840.jpg?h=2a24bbd1f4d24289403e2de34a8c1b03)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/2d22339f-7fe3-431a-bdbd-c968a9cb191f_rw_1920.jpg?h=bdb96b81fd12536e4ce4243dcb37a6c9)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/02af8dc1-b028-460d-a171-ba7256d971a1_rw_1920.jpg?h=4e85db767a85b7b0735810b95d5b36f8)
Giant Dead Leaf Mantis
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/34286fed-7889-4086-b6d4-953b92fb5aac_rw_3840.jpg?h=1876eef0148cbcec5f731c3a875fa251)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/4b8e22c5-c5f5-4aa7-8a94-7f8b239fc839_rw_1920.jpg?h=0689da18642e1f48192d9cedfb6e7900)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/70cbb174-97a5-421e-a6f8-014afdd472dc_rw_3840.jpg?h=90d3a635d9285ba2a7143d0e3717d90a)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/cfdbe75a-7981-4460-ae19-becf3266473c/2805b332-4a9a-49a6-9a52-44026cf6dbb5_rw_3840.jpg?h=0e8d47fc9a00ba03db2b2ad5331db759)