A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Hierodula majuscula
Juvenile mantid to 2cm long. Forearms were held tight against its body. When startled it would extend its forearms out front and wave around, exposing its bright pink flashes as a warning.
Spotted at Flecker (Cairns) Botanic Gardens QLD
Spotted on Aug 20, 2011
Submitted on Apr 5, 2013
12 Comments
Thank you for the ID Mr.Goldfish. It looks pretty good for Hierodula majuscula. Cheers!
Hierodula majuscula?
Yeah, the pink is still a mystery, but an intriguing one.
Lori, yes I think my baby looks more like Pseudomantis albofimbriata, minus the pink flashes. I will update to this. Thank you Lori!
Here's my spotting Andrea: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/175... which is clearly a male Orthodera ministralis. He wasn't more than 25mm long fully grown so yours isn't too much smaller. There's an interesting link in the comments on sexing mantids.
Thank you Smith Zoo! That's funny .... The first pic is entitled "Peek-a-boo". Aptly named, it seems. Cheers Andrea
Thank you Lori for the feedback. Yes it is a juvenile, as it doesn't have any wings/wing buds yet. It is only 2cm in length. I will have a look at your spotting for comparison. Cheers Andrea
Peek-a-boo! Love the pink in the second picture!
The mandibles and the long spiked forearms look more like that of Pseudomantis albofimbriata, as does the white line on the side of the abdomen. But the pink arms are still a mystery to me.
Hi Andrea. I haven't seen an Orthodera species mantid without eye spots on it's front limbs, or with pink limbs before. Is this an immature thing, because I'm having trouble finding information. I recently posted this male with yellow front upper limbs and blue eye spots on the front lower limbs for comparison.
Thanks Olivia. Yes he is cute. He is the photo on my computer desktop. One of my favourites :-)
Nice shot, Andrea. Strangely cute!