This insect keeps a beady eye on his food wherever he goes - with a smiling face on the back of his head.
At first glance, it looks as though the friendly insect is grinning straight into the lens.
But on closer inspection, it becomes clear that his bright eyes and enormous smile are actually just markings on the back of his head.
Photographer Bertrand Kulik was thrilled when he spotted the unusual marking on one praying mantis, as he took shots in his hometown of Issy l'Evjque, in the Burgundy region of France.
Mr Kulik said: 'Praying Mantis actually have excellent vision, and have two big green eyes.
'But when I spotted this one, I noticed his unusual eyes straight away. Then I realised that I wasn't looking at his face at all.
'It takes a long time to catch a good macro photography because you can't make any movement at all.
'I have to try not to breathe when I take photos, the focus has to be so precise. You have to ben very zen!
'To take these pictures, I was very close, just a matter of centimetres away from the mantis.
'It's very intimidating to be in front of a mantis who is looking at you so intensely.You can really feel that the mantis observes you and notice your presence.
'I love macro photography because often there is kind of privacy with the subject.
'Time is different. Often I have to wait a long time before catching this precious even a brief moment.
'I can be very patient and can wait a long time before seeing the good moment, often in a very uncomfortable position which can hurt your back.
'But it's so exciting when you finally capture that perfect image, it's all worth it.'
source: dailymail
Posts
