All over the world, there are approximately one thousand and eight hundred known species of insects grouped from the genus Mantis. Because of the anatomical uniqueness of the mantis’ striking and very defined front legs that are bent at a particular angle resembling a praying position, this genu is most commonly referred as the praying mantis. The praying mantis comes from an entire, bigger group of mantids, from the class Insecta and from the phylum Anthropoda. Most praying mantis facts are regarding its morphology and general appearance.
The characteristic appearance of the praying mantis is distinguished in three different parts: the cranial part or the head, the thorax, which includes the neck, is the middle part that connects the wings and the legs to the body, and finally the abdominal region. This abdominal region also distinguishes the females from the males because females have bigger sized abdomens that make them larger and heavier compared to male mantises.
Other praying mantis facts talk about how mantises survive in their habitat. Because their natural color is in shades of either green or brown, some lighter and some darker in color, they can blend in well and camouflage with the environment they live in. This is of great advantage for them since being carnivorous predators, they can quietly stalk and watch over their prey while waiting for the perfect timing to attack.
The long neck in the thorax enables the triangular head of the mantis to rotate in a one hundred eighty degree manner. This capability and their ability to fly, in addition to having two laterally located compound, complex eyes and three medially situated simple eyes in the head that enable them to detect prey fifty feet away and their uniquely angled front legs with distinctly sharp spikes, maximizes their predatory skills in detecting, observing, grasping, and holding their targets. Observations state that they usually eat the head of the insects they attack first.
Mantises feed on insects, moths, crickets, grasshoppers, butterflies, flies and even lizards, frogs and birds. They also feed on other mantises. Commonly observed during copulation, the female praying mantis eats the head of her mate. This may happen during or after mating which adds to the list of interesting praying mantis facts. Studies state that this is helpful for the female mantis as their source of food and energy as well as for the development and growth of the eggs since male mantises have high protein content. The female mantises are capable of laying twelve up to as much as four hundred eggs in a liquid that is foamy and bubbly in consistency. This liquid becomes a protective and hard egg case that enables the eggs to survive even during the winter season. When the eggs hatch during spring time, their first meal is often their own sibling. The estimated life span of a praying mantis is approximately twelve months or one year.
Mating Process of Praying Mantises Have you ever wondered how praying mantes mate? Praying mantises are most popular for the females’ practice of eating their More... Taking Care of Praying Mantis There are actually quite a number of people who have praying mantises as their pets. Some of these people are More... |
The praying mantis is very important to the environment especially to the farmers. Its contribution to the ecosystem completes the list of some of the gathered praying mantis facts. Being a predator, the existence of praying mantises controls the population of pests that harm the crops of the farmers and the plants of home gardeners although they are also capable of eating their own kind. Physically looking at mantises, they may resemble the shape and form of a grasshopper but they are rather more directly allied to cockroaches. There are also different folklores about praying mantises.
According to the French people, the praying mantis can help a lost child by leading him to find his home. To the Greeks, mantis corresponds to the word prophet while the Chinese use mantises to treat a number of illnesses such as impotence and thyroid enlargement or goiter. Nocturnal enuresis or bed wetting that occurs mostly during childhood are said to be possibly treated with ingestion of egg cases that are roasted. But these claims and ancient myths are not yet medically approved.
Breeding Praying Mantis When you have plans of breeding praying mantis, you should know how to distinguish the females from the males, among other praying mantis facts. One of the easiest ways to do this is by counting the segments at their abdominal region. Female mantises have six segments while males have eight.Keeping the mantises healthy isn&rs...
Getting Rid of a Mantis If you want to get rid of a mantis, wear thick gloves then pick the insect up. Try picking the praying mantis up from behind to position the mouth and forelegs in front of your hands. This insect has sharp and strong front legs, and can give a painful bite. Mantises are not poisonous and deadly, but they can be hurtful throug...
Spotting a Praying Mantis When considering spotting a praying mantis, look for an insect out there that looks like a branch. The praying mantis typically measures three-four inches in length. The most prominent physical features of this type of insect are its front legs and bulging eyes. When hunting, a praying mantis tucks its foreleg claws under a...
Benefits of Praying Mantis Facts on Gardeners There are a lot of gardeners who need to be educated with praying mantis facts so that they will know what these insects can do to the garden and to the environment. If you have a garden in your backyard and you see a couple of praying mantises lurking, most of you might get rid of it because they look d...
Praying Mantis Facts about their Eggs Just like most other insect species, the praying mantises also reproduce through hatching eggs. Many farmers and gardeners take note of praying mantis facts about their eggs especially if they plan on using these mantises as a natural form of pest control. When praying mantises release eggs, the eggs are enclose...
Hatching a Praying Mantis In order to start hatching a praying mantis, put the egg case into a terrarium, in case you are planning to keep them as pets. A terrarium can take the form of a fish bowl, a jam jar or any other container, as long as there is a small branch of plant left inside.Install mesh on the top to prevent the nymphs from getting awa...
Praying Mantis Facts as a Pet A lot of people know that the praying mantis is just a simple insect living in the gardens or the farms. For gardeners, these insects are useful because they help get rid of insects that may eat the flowers and the leaves of their plants. The same rule also applies to farmers who use praying mantises for pest control. B...
Purchasing a Praying Mantis When considering buying a praying mantis, decide first on what type of this insect you want to take care of. There are several distinct kinds available, but only a few of them are legal in the United States.If you are searching for a green-colored praying mantis, it is a good idea to purchase a European mantis. After maki...
Taking Care of Praying Mantis There are actually quite a number of people who have praying mantises as their pets. Some of these people are insect collectors while some are actually just fascinated about these insects. But whether you are just doing the collecting for fun or you are doing this for research, it is important to know essential praying ...
What You Should Know About Praying Mantis Praying mantis are insects with over 1,800 species all over the world. This insect’s most distinctive feature is their grasping legs in front that look as if they are praying. These legs are designed to better seizing and holding their prey. Praying mantises are harmless; in fact they are of great help...
Why Teach Praying Mantis Facts to Farmers Farmers are always faced with continuous problems about pests and insects destroying their crops. This is really a big problem if it is not controlled since their crops are their main source of livelihood and income. Most farmers would use insecticides but the government is controlling the use of pesticides ...
Breeding Praying Mantis Breeding paring mantises is not the easiest thing to do. But if you know certain praying mantis facts about pairing the male and the female, then you can have them reproduce and use the egg crates as a business or in your own gardens for pest control. To successfully breed praying mantises, you need to find a female mantis an...
Mating Process of Praying Mantises Have you ever wondered how praying mantes mate? Praying mantises are most popular for the females’ practice of eating their mates after breeding. Also, the praying mantis is known for its extraordinary upright position posture, in which it appears as if it’s praying. In general, the body of a praying ma...
Catching a Praying Mantis The praying mantis is a master of both ambush and camouflage. This silent type of insect patiently waits for its next meal and usually blends in with surrounding leaves and/or flowers completely. The insect’s spiny and long frontlegs are generally strong and can instantly grasp prey and then hold on to it. Although a ...
Unique Praying Mantis Facts Praying mantises do not only look unique, but there are also numerous unique praying mantis facts that will spark your interest. The first unique fact about a praying mantis is that this type of insect can actually rotate their heads in a one hundred and eighty degree angle. This is actually a very unique trait that only ...
Why Teach Praying Mantis Facts to Farmers Farmers are always faced with continuous problems about pests and insects destroying their crops. This is really a big problem if it is not controlled since their crops are their main source of livelihood and income. Most farmers would use insecticides but the government is controlling the use of pesticides ...
Life Cycle of Praying Mantis The most interesting praying mantis facts are related to its life cycle. The life cycle of a praying mantis begins in reproduction when a male and a female praying mantis would mate. During this process, scientists have observed that female mantises could cut the heads of the male before they actually mate. But in th...
Praying Mantis Facts for Kids If you ask most kids, they will tell you that they get scared of praying mantises because of their appearance. But if you teach these kids praying mantis facts, they can get fascinated by these insects and they will learn more about the natural life cycle in the environment.The first few details that kids should know ab...
Feeding a Praying Mantis When learning how to feed your praying mantis, you should see to it that there is already a selected habitat for such feeding. You can do this inside the cage for the mantis, though you need to be sure that it is not a too large space with unreachable areas for the insect to capture and feed on its prey. Either purchase or c...