A praying mantis, or praying mantid, is the common name for an insect of the order Mantodea. Often mistakenly spelled preying mantis (an eggcorn, since they are notoriously predatory), they are in fact named for the typical "prayer-like" stance. The word mantis derives from the Greek word mantis for prophet or fortune teller. The preferred pluralization is mantids,^[1] though there is some usage of mantes or mantises. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 534 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1067 pixel, file size: 195 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) minor edit of Large_brown_mantid_close_up by Fir0002 I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Subphyla and Classes Subphylum Trilobitomorpha Trilobita - trilobites (extinct) Subphylum Chelicerata Arachnida - spiders,scorpions, etc. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... Families Chaeteessidae Metallyticidae Mantoididae Amorphoscelidae Eremiaphilidae Hymenopodidae Mantidae Empusidae The order Mantodea (or Praying mantis) consists of between 1,800 and 2,000 species, of which a majority are in Mantidae. ... In linguistics, an eggcorn is an idiosyncratic substitution of a word or phrase for a word or words that sound similar or identical in the speakers dialect. ... Predator and Prey redirect here. ... For other uses, see Prayer (disambiguation). ... Mantis is Greek for prophet. ... For other senses of this word, see Prophet (disambiguation). ... Categories: Stub ...

Like all insects, a praying mantis has a three- segmented body, with a head, thorax and abdomen. The abdomen is elongated and covered by the wings in adults. Females have strong and large cerci. The first thoracic segment, the prothorax, is elongated and from it arises the modified foreleg. Diagram of a tsetse fly, showing the head, thorax and abdomen The thorax is a division of an animals body that lies between the head and the abdomen. ... For the human abdomen, see human abdomen. ... Wing structure of a dragonfly (family Gomphidae) Insect wings are outgrowths of the insect exoskeleton that enable insects to fly. ... A common earwig with large cerci in the background. ... The prothorax is the foremost of the three segments in the thorax of an insect, and bears the first pair of legs. ... A forelimb is an anterior limb on an animals body. ...

Praying Mantis head and mouth close up (Quebec,Canada)

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Senses

Mantis religiosa. Note the large eyes and antennae

Mantids, with their huge compound eyes mounted on a triangular head, have a large field of vision. They use sight for detecting movement of prey and swivel their heads to bring their prey into a binocular field of view. They have a fully articulated head, and are able to swivel it 180 degrees as well as pivot it. Their antennae are used for smell. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 556 pixelsFull resolution (1821 × 1265 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 556 pixelsFull resolution (1821 × 1265 pixel, file size: 1. ... Compound eye of a dragonfly Compound eye of Antarctic krill as imaged by an electron microscope A compound eye is a visual organ found in certain arthropods such as insects and crustaceans. ... Insects display a wide variety of antennal shapes. ...

Habitat

Praying mantids can be found in all parts of the world with mild winters and sufficient vegetation. Praying mantids will spend most of their time in a garden, forest or other vegetated area.

Diet

The foreleg modifications

Being a carnivorous insect, the mantis feeds primarily on other insects. However, it is not uncommon for larger mantids to consume small reptiles, birds and even small mammals. ^[2] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 406 pixelsFull resolution (927 × 470 pixel, file size: 41 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 406 pixelsFull resolution (927 × 470 pixel, file size: 41 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Carnivorism redirects here. ... Reptilia redirects here. ... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of sweat glands, including those that produce milk, and by the presence of: hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex...

To capture their prey, mantids use their camouflage to blend in with the surroundings and wait for the prey to be within striking distance. They then use their raptorial front legs to quickly snatch the victim. It then uses the front legs to help position the victim so it may eat it better. Countershaded Ibex are almost invisible in the Israeli desert. ...

Predators

The primary predators of the praying mantis are frogs, monkeys, larger birds, spiders and snakes. Praying mantids will also prey on each other, usually during the nymph stage and during mating (Patterson), as well as when there is no other prey. Distribution of frogs (in black) Suborders Archaeobatrachia Mesobatrachia Neobatrachia - List of Anuran families The frogness babe is an amphibian in the order Anura (meaning tail-less from Greek an-, without + oura, tail), formerly referred to as Salientia (Latin saltare, to jump). ... Approximate worldwide distribution of monkeys. ... Diversity 111 families, 40,000 species Suborders Mesothelae Mygalomorphae Araneomorphae  See table of families Wikispecies has information related to: Spiders Spiders are predatory invertebrate animals that have two body segments, eight legs, no chewing mouth parts and no wings. ... For other uses, see Snake (disambiguation). ... Praying mantis nymphs, approximately 4mm long, clustered on a leaf In biology, a nymph is the immature form of some insect species, which undergoes incomplete metamorphosis (Hemimetabolism) before reaching its adult stage; unlike a larva, a nymphs overall form already resembles that of an adult. ... IT FEELS REALLY GOOD IF YOU IMATATE THE ANIMALS. LOL! “Mounting” redirects here. ...

Defense mechanisms

When threatened, praying mantids stand tall and spread their forelegs to allow them to penetrate the target, with their wings fanning out wide and mouths open. The fanning of the wings is used to make the mantis seem larger and to scare the opponent, with some species having bright colors and patterns on their hind wings and inner surfaces of their front legs for this purpose. If harassment persists, the mantis will then strike with their forelegs and attempt to pinch, bite or slash. They also may make a hissing sound.

A praying mantis in defense pose.

Mantids do not develop wings until the final molt. Some mantids do not develop wings at all, or may have small flightless wings. The only time mantids fly is when the adult female begins to emit pheromones which attract males for mating. Contrary to popular belief, not all males become the meal of the female. Male mantids fly at night, as they seem to be attracted to artificial lights. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 750 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2500 × 2000 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 750 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2500 × 2000 pixel, file size: 2. ... In birds, moulting or molting is the routine shedding of old feathers. ... Fanning honeybee exposes Nasonov gland (white-at tip of abdomen) releasing pheromone to entice swarm into an empty hive A pheromone is a chemical that triggers an innate behavioural response in another member of the same species. ...

Bats, one of the mantid's natural predators, feed at night when the males are busy locating a mate. Bats use echolocation to pinpoint their prey. According to Yager and May, praying mantids are able to hear these sounds and when the frequency begins to increase rapidly, indicating an approaching bat, mantids will stop flying horizontally and begin a descending spiral toward the safety of the ground. Often this descent will be preceded by an aerial loop or spin. Other times, the entire descent will consist of a downward spiral. “Chiroptera” redirects here. ... See: Animal echolocation: animals emitting sound waves and listening to the echo in order to locate objects or navigate. ...

Reproduction

The reproductive process in a majority of mantis species is marked by sexual cannibalism of the male by the female, and is an ongoing subject of research. The reason for sexual cannibalism has been the subject of some debate, with some considering submissive males to be achieving a selective advantage in their ability to produce offspring. This theory is supported by a quantifiable increase in the duration of copulation among male mantids who are cannibalized, in some cases doubling both the duration and the chance of fertilization. This is further supported in a study by J. P. Lelito and W. D. Brown^[3] where male mantids were seen to approach hungry females with more caution, and were shown to remain mounted on hungry females for a longer time, indicating that males actively avoiding cannibalism may mate with multiple females. The act of dismounting is one of the most dangerous times for male mantids during copulation, for it is at this time that female mantids most frequently cannibalize their mates. This increase in mounting duration was thought to indicate that males would be more prone to wait for an opportune time to dismount from a hungry female rather than from a satiated female that would be less likely to cannibalize its mate. Some consider this to be an indication that male submissiveness does not inherently increase male reproductive success, rather that more fit males are likely to approach a female with caution and escape. Sexual cannibalism is a special case of cannibalism in which a female organism kills and consumes male of the same species before, during, or after copulation. ...

Endangered status

Contrary to popular belief, most North American mantids are not included among endangered species (and thus are not illegal to kill, own, etc...), but species in other parts of the world are under threat from habitat destruction. They are the state insect of Connecticut, but the General Statutes of Connecticut do not list any special protected status. Habitat destruction is a process of land use change in which one habitat-type is removed and replaced with another habitat-type. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[3] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[2] Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ...

Pest control

Mantids will consume any insect. If released in very large numbers they will cause a reduction in the number of pest insects so can be released by the hundreds, in batches throughout the season. Smaller mantids will consume aphids, fruit flies, mites, gnats and mosquitoes. Larger mantids consume flying roaches, crickets, some species of grasshopper, some species of beetles, moths, flies and other larger insects. Rarely, mantids will consume small birds. The USDA lists mantids as a beneficial insect. Families There are 10 families: Adelgidae Anoeciidae Aphididae Drepanosiphidae Homomasagymibutae Greenideidae Hormaphididae Lachnidae Mindaridae Pemphigidae Phloeomyzidae Phylloxeridae Thelaxidae Aphids, also known as greenfly, blackfly or plant lice, are minute plant-feeding insects in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the homopterous division of the order Hemiptera. ... Fruit fly may refer to: Tephritidae, the family of large fruit flies. ... Look up mite in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Gnat (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mosquito (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Cockroaches. ... Bowler Shaun Pollock bowls to batsman Michael Hussey. ... For other uses, see Grasshopper (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Beetle (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Moths A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly. ... For other uses, see Fly (disambiguation) and Flies (disambiguation). ... “USDA” redirects here. ...

Hundreds of thousands of dollars per year are spent by gardening enthusiasts who find the release of mantids to be effective.

Lifespan

Mantis ootheca

Praying mantids start out life in an ootheca egg mass. Usually laid in the fall on a small branch or twig, the egg mass then hatches in the spring to early summer as warming temperatures signal the time for birth. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Female cockroach (Blatella germanica) with ootheca Mantis ootheca An ootheca (pl. ...

The natural lifespan of a praying mantis in the wild is about 10 - 12 months, but some mantids kept in captivity have been sustained for 14 months. In colder areas, female mantids will die during the winter. Males tend to "suddenly" die about 2 to 3 weeks after mating in the fall. This is usually caused by the female's urge to kill off the male once the egg pouch has been produced. (U.S. Mantids)

Species

For more details on this topic, see Mantodea.

There are approximately 2,000 mantid species worldwide, the majority are found in Asia. About 20 species are native to the USA. Two species (Chinese Mantis, T. sinensis and European Mantis, M. religiosa) were deliberately introduced to serve as pest control for agriculture. While it's legal to keep USA-native mantids in the USA, other non indigenous varieties are illegal to possess and release in the United States. Some prohibited mantids are the spiny flower mantis, orchid mantis, wondering violin mantis, ghost mantis, devils flower mantis, and Egyptian mantis. These and others are illegal under the Non Native Invasive Species Act of 1992. Families Chaeteessidae Metallyticidae Mantoididae Amorphoscelidae Eremiaphilidae Hymenopodidae Mantidae Empusidae The order Mantodea (or Praying mantis) consists of between 1,800 and 2,000 species, of which a majority are in Mantidae. ... Carpet beetle larvae damaging a specimen of Sceliphron destillatorius in an entomological collection A pest is an organism which has characteristics that are regarded as injurious or unwanted. ...

Gallery

Notes

References

External links

• Photos and information
• Brazilian Mantises catching prey
• Photographs
• A praying mantis catches a hummingbird (in pictures)
• Video of a mantis catching and eating a cricket
• The Legal Myths Surrounding the Praying Mantis