Praying Mantis

Another post with close ups of scary looking insects! If you find that kind of photos disturbing, please don’t look at today’s post.

While taking a walk in Tokyo’s Todoroki Valley (the deepest and only real valley in Tokyo area, at -10m it’s like a different world down there) I came across this beautiful critter. It’s a praying mantis (further classification is impossible for me) and about 7cm long I guess. I came across it as it was waiting for pray on a handrail, so you can see just how big it is. As I went to the side of it to take a photo it turned and walked towards me, getting closer and closer. I knew they can jump but I wasn’t prepared for the wings. It went straight at me! Lucky I’m not scared of insects! My mother would probably have had a heart attack. I shot these with my Sigma 70-300mm tele macro. I got it second hand in Tokyo for about 10 000 yen and I still marvel at the picture quality for such a cheap lens! Look at the last photo, the little black dots is it’s eyes!

Todoroki Valley is by far one of the most beautiful places in Tokyo and recommended if you have over dosed on concrete and want to see some bamboo and rivers. Easily reached from the Todoroki Station on the Oimachi line (change at Futakotamagawa station if you’re coming from Shibya). While the valley is completely inaccessible other than on foot (not recommended for people needing crutches), the station itself is a marvel of barrier-free public transport design. One of the few in Tokyo.




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