Nocturnal Macro-Adventure’s hidden gems

From time to time some images remain in your “to do” folder, maybe initially you were not convinced they had that thing to be selected and processed for final publication, but then you revisit them and decide to work on them.

Well, this happened with the following pictures that were left out from the previous post, and now we decided to publish them.

Mantis (Pseudomiopteryx sp.)

Bark Mantis (Liturgusa sp.) is characterized as ecomorphic specialists on tree trunks or branches, the group exhibits: heavy camouflage mottling that includes browns, black, and other earth tone colors matching tree bark or lichen substrates, and a dorsoventral flattening for a lower profile against a flat surface.

Mantises are preyed on by vertebrates such as frogs, lizards, and birds, and by invertebrates such as spiders and ants. Generally, mantises protect themselves by camouflage, most species being cryptically colored to resemble foliage or other backgrounds, both to avoid predators and to better snare their prey. Those that live on uniformly colored surfaces such as bare earth or tree bark are dorsoventrally flattened so as to eliminate shadows that might reveal their presence.

Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria boliviensis)

Harvesteman, Harvester or Daddy Longlegs (Opiliones). Many species are omnivorous, eating primarily small insects and all kinds of plant material and fungi; some are scavengers, feeding upon dead organisms, bird dung, and other fecal material. Such a broad range is unusual in other arachnids, which are typically pure predators.

Harvestemen (Opiliones)

Ichneumon Wasps (Ichneumonoidea) are solitary insects, and most are parasitoids; the larvae feed on or in another insect until it finally dies. Ichneumon wasp species are highly diverse, ranging from 3 to 130 mm (0.12 to 5.12 in) long. Most are slender, with the females of many species having extremely long ovipositors for laying eggs.

Hunstman Spider (Sparassidae). On their upper surfaces the main colours of huntsman spiders are inconspicuous shades of brown or grey. Their legs bear fairly prominent spines, but the rest of their bodies are smoothly furry.

Longhorn Beetle (Cerambycidae)