Praying+Mantis


 * // Mantis religiosa //**

Fig 1: //Mantis religiosa//

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Mantodea Family: Mantidae Genus: //Mantis// Species: //M. religiosa//
 * Taxonomy: **

Also known as the European mantis, the praying mantis //Mantis religiosa// is perhaps the most well-known mantid species. Named for the way it holds its arms, this large predatory insect can be very hard to spot due to its coloration. While native to Europe, this species has been spread nearly worldwide, reaching Asia, Africa, Austalia, and North America. They are even the state insect of Connecticut.

An adult praying mantis tends to be either brown or green in color. They can range from 2 to 3 inches, with females generally being larger than males. The most defining characters of the praying mantis are its front limbs and eyes. The front legs of the praying matnis are large, spiny claws modified for quickly grasping and holding down prey. They are normally held in a position similar to a praying person, which is where the name of the species comes from. The eyes of the praying mantis are particularly large – 2 of them, anyway. The praying mantis actually has 5 eyes; 2 large “standard” eyes and a triangle of 3 tiny eyes between them. Other notable traits include a large, triangular head and a long, thin thorax. Like most insects, this species also has wings, though due to their large size these are used more often for “leaping” across plants than flight. Figure 2: A mantis with wings stretched.
 * Physical Description: **

Praying mantises are ambush predators. Able to stand completely still for extremely long periods of time, they use their coloration to blend in with their environment and catch unwary prey. The mantis generally eats its prey alive as it holds it, generally starting with the head. They will eat anything that can get a hold of; whether it is a fly, spider, or even another mantis, they can and will eat it. Figure 3: Praying mantis with captured prey.
 * Ecology: **

Praying mantises are very well known for their mating behavior. Like many mantids, sexual cannibalism is very common in this species. Female mantises will often eat their partner in the middle of mating. The reasoning behind this behavior may be that the male provides extra nourishment for the female, helping to make sure his genes are passed along. Once she has mated, the female will create a structure called an ootheca, which she lays her eggs in. Figure 4: An ootheca from a female mantis.

Unlike bees, butterflies, and moths, mantises do not undergo complete metamorphosis. This means that they do not have a larvae and pupae stage. Instead, baby mantises (Called nymphs) are nearly identical to the adults, just smaller.


 * Impact on Humans: **

Mantises are not harmful to humans, despite their intimidating appearance. They are mainly important to humans as pest managers. Because they are such vicious predators, they are often used as a natural solution to pests. In an agriculture-heavy state such as Vermont, this can have a huge impact on the success of crops. This also helps limit the spread of diseases from insects like mosquitoes.

References:

Battison, R., and P. Fontana. 2010. Colour change and habitat preferences in //Mantis religiosa//. Bulletin of Insectology, 63:85-89.

Brackenbury, J. 2009. Wing kinematics during natural leaping in the mantids //Mantis religiosa// and //Iris oratoria//. Journal of Zoology, 223:341-356.

Gemeno, C., J. Claramunt, and J. Dasca. 2005. Nocturnal calling behavior in mantids. Journal of Insect Behavior, 18:389-403.

Prokop, P., and R. Váklav. 2008. Seasonal aspects of sexual cannibalism in the praying mantis (//Mantis religiosa//). Journal of Ethology, 26:213-218.

Reitze, M., and W. Nentwig. 1991. Comparative investigations into the feeding ecology of six Mantodea species. Oecologia, 86: 568-574.

Figure 1: []

Figure 2: []

Figure 3: []

Figure 4: []