Mantis
Characteristics
The Praying Mantis gets its name from the appearance of its front legs which it holds like its praying. Mantises are not harmful to people and are an important part of any gardens ecosystem. Don’t expect them to only keep unwanted insect population under control. Mantises have BIG appetites and will eat beneficial insects, pests , and each other.
The praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head 180 degrees. They also have five eyes, three simple eyes arranged in a triangle between its antennae, and two compound eyes which are made of ommatidiam. Female praying mantises lay their eggs in a frothy, gummy mass that sticks to twigs, branches, houses, fences, or other objects. These egg cases are called Ootheca.

Praying mantises are often the color of the plants they live on, usually green or brown. This is for mainly predation, but also helps with protection. Mantises do not actively hunt. Instead they hunt, by waiting motionless, for an unsuspecting meal to wander within reach. When the potential meal gets close enough, the mantis will try to capture it with its front, raptorial legs.

Hunting
Praying mantises are excellent hunters. When lying in wait for prey, all mantises are ready to strike. The waiting position is always in the same, with their front legs held tight to the body. Mantises use their back and middle legs to grab stems and keep balance. When prey gets close, the mantis strikes, grabs & holds the prey with its front legs. The praying mantis strike is so fast if you blink you can miss it. A Carolina Mantis can strike twice before a housefly can fly away.

Mating
Cannibalism is common among all praying mantises. It is so common that if the young mantises don’t find food, they will eat each other. Cannibalsim is also common after mating. The female may eat her own mate. To provide nutrients to the new young to come. She does this by holding the male’s head. Holding the male mantises head stimulates the male to mate and keeps him there to finish mating. This guarantees to the female the male will not try to eat her first. The male mantis knows there is a chance he may be killed, so sometimes they try to capture the female by surprise.

Camouflage
Camouflage is important for the mantises because they have so many potential predators. Praying mantis are usually brown or green to hide among plants. They are long and thin insects that grow to 2 to 4 inches in length. They are very hard to see in grass and shrubs. Their camouflage comes in handy when they are hunting as well. The prey does not realizes how close it is to the praying mantis until it is to late.

Habitat
They are over 2,000 species of praying mantises throughout the tropical and the warm areas of the world. Praying mantises in North America are usually green or brown. There are three main types of mantises form in North America they are the Carolina Mantis, The Chinese Mantis, and the European mantis. Praying mantises are found on various plants waiting for the next meal.

Diet
Praying mantises really do not have a regular feeding schedule. If a prey is around, they will eat it. Praying mantises eat invertebrates, such as other mantises, beetles, butterflies, crickets, grasshoppers, and even spiders. They may also eat vertebrates, such as small tree frogs, lizards, mice, and hummingbirds. There is even video evidence that a praying mantis can eat a small snake.

Kung Fu
Inside from being an amazging predator, the praying mantis has inspired the sport of kung fu. The praying mantis stance in kung fu is executed with the full body weight of the rear leg. The front leg is flexed forward with the toe pointed towards on the ground . The hands are in a forward and guard position using the traditional Mantis hook hand information. The position of the arms & hands resemble a praying mantis waiting for a prery.

Predators
Although praying mantises are known for hunting skills, they can also become the hunted. The main predators of the praying mantis is frogs, monkeys, larger birds, spider, and snakes. Praying mantis will prey on each other usually during the nymph stage and during mating.

Defenses
Praying mantis stand tall and spread their forelegs with their wings fanning out wide and mouths open. It spread it wings to make itself seem bigger than it really is to scare it opponents. If the mantis feels threatened, it will attack with its forelegs and attempt to bite or pinch. None of these actions are deadly to a large predator, including humans, but they can provide enough time for the mantis to escape.

Lifespan
The natural lifespan of a praying mantis is about two years in colder areas. Praying mantis will die in the winter time. In the warmer areas the praying mantis can live up to three years.

Kept as pets
Praying mantis are often kept as pets. People keep them in a fish tank and put leaves and sticks to create a natural habitat. Praying mantises drink sprayed water and will eat crickets. If a mantis is fed to much, its abdomen can bust, killing the mantis. You can buy them at the pet store or you can try to catch your own.

Senses
With they’re compound eyes the praying mantis have a large field of vision They use there sight for detection movement of a prey and turn their head to bring there prey into their field of view. Their antenna’s are use for smelling.