What do you know about the praying mantis?
I stepped out my front door the other night and was greeted by this little guy – a praying mantis. I have always thought they were so cute with their big eyes and the pose that makes them look like they are praying. They are out at night, so you don’t see them much during daylight hours, but I remember being outside after dark on some late summer nights as a child and finding them in the bushes next to our house. I haven’t known very much about them, though, so I thought I’d see what Wikipedia has to say.
While they look so innocent, it seems that in their world, they are both prey and predator – to some little bugs, mantises are probably fearsome monsters, and not the cute little critters that I see. Here is part of what Wikipedia says:
“Mantises are masters of camouflage and most species make use of protective coloration to blend in with the foliage or substrate, both to avoid predators themselves, and to better snare their victims. Various species have adapted to not only blend with the foliage, but to mimic it, appearing as either living or withered leaves, sticks, tree bark, blades of grass, flowers, or even stones.
“Some species in Africa and Australia are able to turn black after a molt following a fire in the region to blend in with the fire ravaged landscape (fire melanism). While mantises can bite, they have no venom. They can also slash captors with their raptorial legs. They do not appear to be chemically protected; nearly any large predatory animal will eat a mantis such as Scops owls, shrikes, bullfrogs and chameleons.”
That fire melanism trick is pretty interesting. Funny how nature develops ways to protect its species in seemingly impossible situations. I used to play with them when I was little, and have them crawl all over my hands, and they never slashed me with their “raptorial” legs! Just lucky I guess, or they knew somehow that I wouldn’t hurt them. I know I was probably an unusual little girl, but I had pet bugs all the time as a child. I never kept a praying mantis, but I enjoyed them in the yard.
Now what do you know about the praying mantis?
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I think there is some mysticism around this insect...
Males are smaller than the females. Biggest one I ever saw was about 6 inches long. I hear their great for the garden...
Kenneth - This one was about 4 inches. I've never seen one 6 inches long. Where did you see it?
Michael - I agree.
Don't the females eat the males??
Susan, I know that they change colors depending on the background that they're on.
Susan, I have always thought they were interesting. When I see one, I usually pick it up and look at it and show it to anyone with me. I have never had one act like it was trying to slash me or anything else. Thanks for the interesting information you shared with us.
Hi Susan:
Interesting information on the praying mantis...
I know from experience, they bite!!!
My husband when he was a boy used to collect the cocoons of the praying mantis', and he packed about ten away when they moved to Indiana.
He forgot about them and put them in a closet close to a register and one morning they discovered praying mantis' crawling all over the closet floor.
They are a majestic insect.
Carla - Yes, I think the females do eat their mates, but not until after they've "taken advantage"of them. ;-)
Tony and Darcy - Yes, they are the insect version of a chameleon.
Gary - I like to show them to people too - ergo: my post, I guess.
Toula - I've never had a bite; do they actually take a bite or just poke you?
Sharon - That's funny. I'll bet your parents loved that!