Askania-Nova.
In the Askania-Nova reserve there are some areas (about 11000 hectares) of the feather-grass steppe that were never cut and ploughed. The reserve was organized in the right heart of the Khersonskaya region in 1887. Before Friedrich Eduardovych Falz-Fein established this reserve only natural cattle pasture was conducted in that place. There were a fantastic number of mantises! A male and a wingless female of Ameles sp. They are very small and quick creatures. This is a European mantis - Mantis religiosa.
They were green or brown. On the second photo a female eats a larva of mantis. This small green mantis is another species, Iris polystica. It is rather rear mantis wich has very beautiful blue-black hind wings. This is a male. Female have small wings and can't fly. 
A predatory grasshopper Gampsocleis sp. courtship. The male is on the top of the photo, it courts the female (below).
A mole cricket (Gryllotalpa sp.).
This is that virgin steppe:
go to the main page.
