The Female Praying Mantis Will Eat the Male During or After Mating

The Praying Mantis is a large carnivorous insect, part of the Mantidae family of the Montodea order. There are more than 2,000 montodea species worldwide, with the majority being in the mantidae family.

The praying mantis received its name because of how they hold their front fore legs. When at rest, their front fore legs are held together in a praying manner. In Greek the word "mantis" stands for prophet or fortune teller.

Adult praying mantis can range from three to six inches long. The body is green, tan or brown depending on species. They have a big head and two big front fore legs with rows of sharp spikes for holding food.

The middle and back legs are much slimmer than the front fore legs. Praying mantis have tong, narrow wings that cover their abdomen. Baby mantis look just like the adults, except they do not have wings.

The praying mantis mating season is the summer time. After mating the female praying mantis will eat the male, often starting with the head. Come autumn the female will lay their eggs (anywhere from 10 to 400 eggs), in clusters called oothecas.

Tiny praying mantis will emerge from the ootheca, from a zipper like seam, in spring or early summer. If there is not sufficient food around, a praying mantis's first meal will often be a sibling.

The growing season consists of an entire summer for a praying mantis. It takes one growing season for a praying mantis to mature to adulthood.

When searching for food, the praying mantis will patiently wait for an insect of the right size to pass by. When an insect is close enough the praying mantis will strike out with its fore legs and grab the prey.

While still alive the praying mantis will almost always start to eat the catch. They quickly go for the neck of the insect, to end the struggle.

Praying mantises eat insects, other mantises, spiders, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, small tree frogs and lizards. Every now and again they have been known to catch unsuspecting hummingbirds.

Being able to blend in with their habitat is very important for their survival. With an immediate treat, a praying mantis will stand tall and spread its fore legs, making itself look bigger. Often they will hiss and even strike out at the threat.

Birds and bats are the most feared predators of the praying mantis. Some species have a hollow chamber in their bodies. It has been discovered that this chamber allows the mantis to detect bats. In mid flight a mantis will change its direction and shoot straight down in a spiral, often making loops and circles, to the safety of the ground below.

The praying mantis really is not a pest, in fact they are good for pest control, and are beneficial to farmers and gardeners alike.

Sources:

en.wikipedia.org

www.desertusa.com