Theopropus elegans
| Distribution: | Borneo, Malaysian peninsula, Myanmar, Java & Sumatra |
| Size: | 50mm (females), 30mm (males) |
| Diet: | Other bugs |
Mantises are my favourite bugs, and I’d been looking forward to drawing this one for some time. I love the striped patterns on its legs and the bold orange wings, presumably used as a startle defense. When they first hatch, T.elegans nymphs look completely different – they’re red and black and closely resemble the ants they often share their surroundings with. Looking like an ant – one of the most fearsome organisms of any jungle – is a brilliant defense strategy, but one that these mantises dispense with after their first moult.
Drawing veined wings like these is always a challenge. There’s a lot of tedious work to begin with – drawing all the veins, adding shadows and highlights around them. But once that structure is in place, it’s a lot of fun to then add in the details like lighter edges or the black bands. With each evening that passes, the illustration starts to look more realistic, which is extremely satisfying. In many respects, wings are my drawing nemesis – they’re difficult, and it’s easy to get lost in the detail, but they often look stunning when finished.
Take a closer look…
