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.
Praying Mantis Facts on Predation Praying mantises are known to feast on any type of insects. Sometimes, they even eat their own kind. Based on praying mantis facts, these insects never eat plants or crops and this is why they are perfect for pest control. But there are only a few people who actually know the predatory behavior that these mantises h...
Praying Mantis Facts on its Habitat There are a lot of people especially kids who want to find out more praying mantis facts. The appearances of these insects can instantly spark curiosity among people who are able to see it. One of the things that people usually ask about praying mantises is their habitat. This is because many kids want to know if ...
Common Praying Mantis Injuries The most common injury of praying mantises is damage to their limbs resulted from falls. If a praying mantis is suffering from this injury, there will be a noticeable deformity in the position of its legs or some bleeding.The mantis can be aided by using fingernail hardener to coat the affected spot. Suffering from deh...
Praying Mantis Facts about their Reproduction Among the most important praying mantis facts for biologists and scientists who study insects are the behaviors of praying mantises when they are mating. For many years, scientists have captured praying mantises and observed them in their laboratories to see how they mate and how they reproduce. One of t...
Praying Mantis Facts on its Diet The praying mantis is one of the most interesting- looking insects that you may find. The appearance and the movements of this insect really intrigue kids. But aside from its appearance, the diet and the predatory behavior of the praying mantis are also fascinating. There are some praying mantis facts on its dietary ...
Pest Control Praying Mantis When it comes to taking care of gardens and farms, pest control is always a crucial part of the process because pests can damage most of your plants or crops. There are numerous ways on how you can control pests but a natural and organic pest control method is through the use of praying mantises. Learning about praying ma...
Praying Mantis as Beneficial Insect Praying mantises play an important role in the environment and to the ecosystem. They are very important and beneficial to farmers since they feed on pests, hence, controlling the growth of their population and preventing any harm that they can cause on the crops as well as to the plants at home.However, one of 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...
Evolution Many people ask about the praying mantis facts that cover its evolution. Because of the appearance of the praying mantis, people can find it hard to associate this insect with other species. The evolution stories about praying mantis are actually theories and scientists are still trying to dig for information through fossils and remnants o...
Pregnant Praying Mantis behavior While females are known for feeding on males at the time of reproduction, this only takes place from five to thirty-one percent of the time, often when the female mantis is hungry. The male mantis at the time of mating puts a capsule, which contains his sperm, into the reproductive tract of the female. The female man...
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...
Taming a Praying Mantis In order to start taming a praying mantis, put your hand open at the door of the cage to allow the praying mantis to walk onto your palm. You must avoid picking the mantis up or grabbing it. Instead, simply let this insect climb into your hand. This way, the praying mantis is caused to think that your hand is a safe place to ...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Taming a Praying Mantis In order to start taming a praying mantis, put your hand open at the door of the cage to allow the praying mantis to walk onto your palm. You must avoid picking the mantis up or grabbing it. Instead, simply let this insect climb into your hand. This way, the praying mantis is caused to think that your hand is a safe place to ...