A photo of the brown and tan Four-spotted Mantidfly, DIcromantispa interrupta, on a white background from above. This photo shows how slender the raptorial arms, head, and neck of the insect is, and how the lacy wings cover the abodmen which curves towards the bottom of the frame.

A photo of the front of a brown and tan Four-spotted Mantidfly from the front showing the raptorial arms and head in greater detail. The raptorial arms are held tightly folded under the head which is dominated by the two large bronze metallic iridescent eyes.

A photo of a Four-spotted Mantidfly, Dicromantispa interrupta, on a white background, from the side. The Mantid fly is shades of tan and brown. The raptorial claws, which are very mantid-like are dark brown and held tightly under the insect's triangular head which features large round metallic bronze iridescent eyes and slender antennae. The insect's neck is slender and tubular and leads to square shaped thorax from which the slender tan legs are attached. the insect's wings are long and lacy, covering the tan abdomen.

This is a photo of neck, head, and raptorial arms of a brown, tan, and yellow Beautiful Mantidfly, Leptomantispa pulchella as it snacks on what I believe is a leafhoopper. The mantidfly's raptorial arms are brown with lighter tan areas, the eyes are an iridescent metallic bronze color, the slender antennae are dark brown

For today's #BestOfLux2024 and #invertefest offering I present the joy that are #Mantidflies. These awesome #Insects were frequent visitors to the bug light this year. More details in the #AltText.

Taken with a #Fujifilm X-S10 and #Laowa 65mm #Macro.

#Macrophotography
#Neuroptera
#invert

A photo of the side of the front half of an owlfly, a large insect related to lacewings. This example has a very odd eye streucture. The metallic green iridescent eye looks as if it has split down the middle by a ridge giving it a "Slit-eyed" appearance

Another view of the face of the owlfly showing both eyes, the antennae, the wing roots, and the thick abdomen behind. There is hair-like structures under the eyes, obscuring the mouthparts that almost give the insect a wizened fantastical look

#Neuroptera, #lacewings, #mantidflies, #owlflies and allies, have some amazing looking eyes. This wild looking creature is one, a Split-eyed Owlfly ( #Ululodes floridanus ) that visited me a few years back.😁

A brown and tan insect with preying mantis like raptorial arms, bronze like eyes and a pair of lacy wings.

This is the Beautiful Mantidfly, #Leptomantispa pulchella. The name is in my opinion very accurate 😻

#Macrophotography
#Neuroptera
#Mantidflies
#Insect(s
#Invert(s