This guy has been hanging out in the camper!
Praying Mantis
The
Praying Mantis is a large insect from the order of Mantodea. It's called the
"Praying" Mantis because it often stands
in a pose that looks like it is praying. There are different types of Praying
Mantids. They are often named after
different areas of the world (like the Carolina Mantis, the European Mantis,
and the Chinese Mantis), but many
can be found all over the world.
How
Big is a Praying Mantis?
These
species will vary in size. For example the Carolina Mantis will grow to about
2 inches long, while
the Chinese Praying Mantis can grow to 5 inches long.
What
does it look like?
The
Praying Mantis has a head, thorax, and abdomen just like all insects. It has
large eyes on each side of its
head and it can rotate its head 360 degrees. This enables the Praying Mantis
to see very well. The Mantis
also
has two antennae on its head that it uses for navigation. Once fully grown, a
Praying Mantis will grow wings
and can fly. It has six legs. The back four legs are primarily used for
walking, while the front two legs
are
have sharp spines that help the Praying Mantis capture and hold on to prey.
Can
it change colors?
The
Praying Mantis can camouflage itself by changing color. Its color may vary
from dark brown to green, allowing
it to blend into tree bark or green plant leaves so it can hide from
predators as well as sneak up on
prey.
What
do Praying Mantids Eat?
The
Praying Mantis is a carnivorous insect. This means it lives off of other
animals not plants. It
mostly lives off of other insects like flies and crickets, but some larger
Praying Mantids may occasionally
capture and eat a small reptile or bird.
How
long will a Praying Mantis Live?
Praying
Mantids will usually live from spring to fall. The longest a Mantis will live
is around 1 year. One of
the strangest things about this insect is that the female will often eat the
male and siblings will
often eat each other.
Are
they endangered?
Most
species of the Praying Mantis are not endangered and many are kept as pets.
They
are also good to have in your yard as they will eat other insects.
Fun
Facts about the Praying Mantis
• Predators include frogs, rodents,
birds, and bats.
• Although they sit still a lot and
look slow, they are extremely fast when they move to attack their prey.
• There are over 2,000 species of
praying mantis. Around 20 species live in North America.
• When capturing their prey, they
typically bite of its head first. This way it will stop moving and can't get
away.
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Blogging 2009-present. A nomad? One who wanders, always, and claims no home.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
No joke just praying mantis! Well it is Sunday!
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