Praying mantis

From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids

For other uses, see Praying mantis (disambiguation).

Praying mantis

Praying mantis in India

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Mantodea

A praying mantis, or praying mantid, is the common colloquial name for an insect of the order Mantodea. Often mistakenly spelled preying mantis (a tempting mistake, as they are notoriously predatory) they are in fact named for the typical "prayer-like" stance. The word mantis derives from the Greek word Mantes for prophet or fortune teller. The preferred pluralization is mantids^[1], though there is some usage of mantes or mantises.

[edit] Body

Like all insects, the body of a praying mantis can be broken down into a head a top the body and an abdomen housing vital organs at the other end. In between, the thorax connects the two.

[edit] Body Structure

Praying mantises are a very recognizable insect with their extremely distinguishing characteristics.

[edit] Head

The head of the praying mantis is triangularly shaped. The eyes of the mantis bulge large and round from the sides of the head. The large eyes of the praying mantis are made even more effective by the mantis’s ability to rotate the head 360 degrees.

The mouth of the praying mantis is made for chewing and biting. There is an upper and lower jaw as well as palps along the sides.

Sitting atop the head of the praying mantis are its two long antennae that are used for general navigation.

The praying mantis is deaf to most sounds (those not ultrasonic) and there are no ears on the head (Yager and May).

[edit] Torso

The torso of the praying mantis, consisting of the thorax and abdomen, is much elongated in size. The thorax is very long and thin and is simply a pathway between the head and abdomen.

The only body part on the praying mantises that could be considered out of place is its ear. According to Yager and May, the praying mantis has one single ear in the middle of the abdomen on the underside. This single ear allows it to hear ultrasonic sounds. This is great tool for defense against predators. This ear is simply a deep slit inside the abdomen.

The rear of the torso is covered by two sets of wings that are used for flying. These wings lay one on top of the other and fan outwards during flight.

[edit] Legs

The praying mantis, like most insects, has six jointed legs. The rear four legs are the main walking legs of the praying mantis. These legs are longer than the front two. The front two legs are shorter and set in a “praying position.” However holy these legs may seem, they are lined with spines and ended with sharp hooks for capturing and killing prey.

[edit] Sex Differences

Female praying mantises grow to be significantly larger than males. This size difference is necessary for female mantises to be able to produce and carry the large number of eggs that they produce.

[edit] Camouflage

Praying mantises have the ability to adapt their color to their surroundings. This camouflage of earth tones, ranging from a dark brown to a bright green, allows the praying mantis to blend in and wait for its unsuspecting prey.

[edit] Senses

Praying mantises, with their huge compound eyes, can see extremely well and from distances up to 60 feet (The Big Zoo). Sight is the only sense that they use in hunting prey and for general navigation.

Since praying mantises do not have typical ears on the side of the head like many insects, they do not hear standard sounds. However, their single ear in their abdomen has the ability to hear ultrasonic sounds (Yager and May). This ultrasonic hearing is used as a defense mechanism from predators.

[edit] Flight

Praying mantises are not born with the ability to fly. As nymphs, they do not have wings. However, after several molting periods, once they mature they are able to fly. Gravid females cannot fly because of the added weight of developing eggs.

[edit] Habitat

Praying mantises can be found in all parts of the world that are not snow covered for a majority of the year and have adequate food and housing. Praying mantises enjoy living in areas filled with plant life. This is because their camouflage is most effective here and other insects (prey) dwell in these surroundings as well. Although praying mantises will spend most of their time in a garden, in the forest, or in another generally vegetated area, it is not uncommon for them to explore other areas around people’s homes like all insects.

[edit] Diet

Being a carnivorous insect, the praying mantis feeds primarily on other insects. They feed mostly on insects like flies, butterflies, crickets, moths, spiders, and other insects smaller than them. However, it is not uncommon for larger mantises to consume small reptiles and even small mammals or birds.

To capture their prey, mantids use their camouflage to blend in with the surroundings and wait for the prey to be within striking distance. They then use their raptorial front legs to quickly snatch the victim and devour it alive.

[edit] Mating

[edit] Mating Process

The mating process for a mantis normally begins during the warm summer season. During this process, the smaller male mantis will mount the female mantis from behind and begin copulation.

[edit] Offspring

During the fall season when the eggs have formed inside the female mantis and are ready for excretion, the female mantis lays egg sacks which are called ootheca (Insecta Inspecta). The female mantis will lay up to 22 ootheca during a given season (The Big Zoo). Upon laying the ootheca, the female mantis attaches the egg sacks to something to protect them from the elements. Often, the ootheca are attached to tree stumps, sticks, or other structures that the mantis deems fit. After being attached, the soft outer shell of the ootheca will harden into a protective layer (Patterson).

From each ootheca, anywhere from 30 to 300 baby mantises can hatch (The Big Zoo). The hatching occurs in during the following spring or early summer season. During the winter months, as well as throughout the ootheca’s maturation period in general, many egg sacks are destroyed simply by the elements of the outdoors.

Upon hatching, the baby mantises (or nymphs) begin their lives trying to survive feeding on small insects, as the adults do, or the other nymphs. The small nymphs shed their skin several times during their molting periods while they are young. By the summer, they will reach maturity and begin the cycle over again (Patterson).

[edit] Predators

[edit] Predators of the Mantis

The predators of the praying mantis are generally animals that feed on insects. These primary predators of the praying mantis are bats and larger birds. Also, spiders and insect eating snakes will feed on smaller mantises. The predators of the praying mantis are not limited to other animals. Praying mantises will eat other mantises. This cannibalistic behavior is usually prevalent during the nymph stage and during mating (Patterson). However, a mature praying mantis will not turn away from a meal of its own kind.

[edit] Defense Mechanisms

Praying mantises, when threatened, stand tall and spread their forelegs with their wings fanning out wide (Patterson). The fanning of the wings is used to make the mantis seem larger and to scare the opponent.

Since praying mantises feed during the day, they do a fair amount of traveling by air at night and do not spend the time sitting and watching prey. The night, however, is when bats feed. Bats use ultrasonic sound waves to pinpoint their prey. The frequency of these sound waves indicates the location and distance of the bat’s prey. According to Yager and May, praying mantises, although deaf, are able to hear these ultrasonic sounds and when the frequency begins to increase rapidly, indicating an approaching bat, mantises will stop flying horizontally and begin a direct, high speed nose dive towards the safety of the ground. Often this descent will be preceded by an aerial loop or spin. Other times, the entire decent will consist of a downward spiral.

[edit] Endangered Status

One very common misconception about praying mantises is that they are an endangered species. Praying mantises are not and have never been on the endangered species list.

[edit] Pest Control

Praying mantises are one of the best forms of natural control of small insects in gardens. This is because mantises do not feed on plants, but will feed on the small insects that can take a heavy toll on plant life (beetles, caterpillars, etc.).

Patterson describes how gardeners will often search for ootheca and carefully move them while still connected to their holding structure and place them in the refrigerator to prevent premature hatching. The ootheca will keep the unborn nymphs alive in the refrigerator until the spring arrives and they are ready to hatch. This allows for the mantis nymphs to be born in the garden and spend their lives protecting the plants from insects that may harm the vegetation.

[edit] Lifespan

The natural lifespan of a praying mantis is from the spring through the fall of one year. In colder areas, mantises will die during the winter. In captivity, if kept correctly, and in warmer areas in the wild, mantises can live up to one full year.

[edit] Species

According to Patterson, the vast majority of the 1,800 species of praying mantises are found in Asia. About 20 of those species are found in North America and Europe. The Asian species as well as a few of the North American ones are native to their land. The other came from Asia to their new turf along with plants being shipped from one continent to the other.

European mantis devouring a Tenebrio molitor

Acanthops falcata - Venezuelan Dead Leaf mantis
Acanthops fuscifolia - Tropical Dead Leaf
Acanthops tuberculata - Tropical Dead Leaf
Acromantis sp. - Boxer mantis
Ameles decolor

Ameles decolor

Ameles spallanzania
Alalomantis muta - Cameroon mantis
Asiadodis squilla - Asian shield mantis
Blepharopsis mendica - Thistle mantis
Brunneria subaptera - Stick mantis
Brunneria borealis - Stick mantis
Camelomantis sondaica
Ceratocrania macra
Ceratomantis saussurii
Choeradodis rhombicollis - Tropical shield mantis
Choeradodis stalii - Tropical shield mantis
Cilnia humeralis
Creobroter meleagris - Flower mantis
Creobroter gemmatus - Indian flower mantis
Creobroter pictipennis - Indian flower mantis
Creobroter elongata - Flower mantis
Deroplatys angustata - Dead Leaf mantis
Deroplatys desiccata - Dead Leaf mantis
Deroplatys lobata - Dead Leaf mantis
Deroplatys truncata - Dead Leaf mantis

Dead leaf mantis

Empusa fasciata
Empusa pennata
Eremiaphila brunneri - Common desert mantis
Eremiaphila zetterstedti
Euchomenella heteroptera - Twig mantis
Gongylus gongylodes - Indian rose/Violin mantis
Gonatista grisea - Grizzled mantis
Heterochaeta strachani
Hierodula membranacea - Giant Asian mantis
Hierodula grandis - Giant Indian mantis
Hierodula patellifera - Indo-Pacific mantis
Hierodula parviceps - Philippine mantis

Hierodula parviceps eating a cricket

Holaptilon pusillulum - Jumpy mantis
Hoplocorypha sp.
Humbertiella ceylonica
Hymenopus coronatus - Orchid mantis
Idolomantis diabolica - Devil's Flower mantis
Idolomorpha madagascariensis
Ischnomantis gigas
Iris oratoria - Mediterranean mantis

Iris oratoria

Liturgusa lichenalis - Lichen mantis
Macromantis hyalina
Mantis religiosa - European mantis
Miomantis caffra - South African mantis
Miomantis paykullii - Egyptian mantis
Miomantis abyssinica - Egyptian mantis
Odontomantis sp. - Ant mantis
Oligonicella scudderi - Scudder's mantis
Orthodera novaezealandiae - New Zealand mantis
Otomantis sp. - Boxer mantis
Oxyopsis gracilis - Peruvian mantis
Oxyopsis peruviana - Peruvian mantis
Oxyothespis dumonti
Paramantis prasina

Paramantis prasina

Parasphendale agrionina - Bud-winged mantis
Parasphendale affinis - African banded mantis
Paratoxodera cornicollis - Giant Malaysian stick mantis
Phyllocrania paradoxa - Ghost mantis
Phyllovates chlorophaea
Plistospilota guineensis
Polyspilota aeruginosa
Popa spurca - twig mantis
Pseudocreobotra ocellata - Spiny flower mantis

Creobroter gemmatus

Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii - Spiny flower mantis
Pseudovates arizonae - Arizona unicorn mantis
Rhombodera basalis - Giant Malaysian shield mantis
Rhombodera extensicollis - Giant shield mantis
Rhombodera megaera - Giant shield mantis
Rivetina baetica - Ground mantis
Sphodromantis balachowskyi - Afca - California mantis
Stagmomantis carolina - Carolina mantis
Stagmomantis limbata - Bordered mantis
Stagmomantis floridensis - Florida mantis
Sibylla pretiosa
Tamolanica tamolana
Tarachodes afzelii
Tarachodula pantherina
Theopropus elegans - Elegant mantis
Tisma freyi
Taumantis sigiana - Lime-green mantis
Tenodera australasiae
Tenodera angustipennis - Narrow-winged mantis
Tenodera sinensis - Chinese mantis

Chinese mantis eating a bee

Toxodera denticulata - Giant Malaysian stick mantis
Yersiniops sophronicum - Yersin's ground mantis
Yersiniops solitarium - Horned ground mantis
Zoolea lobipes

For a more detailed treatment of this insect, see Mantodea.

[edit] Praying Mantis in Popular Culture

The Pokemon characters Scyther and Scizor are based upon a mantis.
Zorak - an animated mantis from the cartoon Space Ghost.
Manny, a character from the Disney/Pixar movie A Bug's Life is a praying mantis
Apollo Lunar Module - The insect-like appearance of the moon-landing portion of the Apollo spacecraft resembled a "giant praying mantis" according to Apollo 11 Command Module Pilot Michael Collins ^{[citation needed]}.
Mantazz, a playable character in the videogame Time Killers, is a human-sized alien that greatly resembles a praying mantis.
In China there is a Praying Mantis Kung Fu style ( 螳螂拳) based on the movement of the Chinese Mantis, although there are Northern and Southern style but both of them have the recognisable mantis hand movement (with their long and middle fingers pointing downwards).
The Magic School Bus spins web, praying mantis appears as villain which the kids must stop.
In the video game Mega Man Zero 3 one boss called Deathtantz Mantisk is based off a Praying Mantis.
Creators of the animated show The Simpsons have stated that character Montgomery Burns' appearance is based upon a praying mantis.

[edit] References

^ Iowa State University Department of Entomology, "Praying Mantis". http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/node/178

Walkup, Richard L. “Praying Mantis Makes Meal of a Hummer.” Bird Watcher’s Digest. 2006. Bird Watcher’s Digest. 27 October 2006. http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyardbirds/hummingbirds/mantis-hummer.aspx.
Insecta Inspecta. “Praying Mantis.” Insecta Inspecta World. 1 June 2004. Insecta Inspecta, Inc. 27 October 2006. http://www.insecta-inspecta.com/mantids/praying/index.html.
The Big Zoo. “Praying Mantis.” The Big Zoo. 2006. Thebigzoo. 27 October 2006. http://www.thebigzoo.com/Animals/Praying_Mantis.asp.
Patterson, Kathleen J. “The Praying Mantis.” Conservationist 47.6 (1993): 30. Academic Search Premier. 31 October 2006. http://search.ebscohost.com.
Yager, David, and Mike May. “Coming in on a Wing and an Ear. (Cover Story).” Natural History 102.1 (1993): 28. Academic Search Premier. 31 October 2006. http://search.ebscohost.com.

[edit] External links

Female mantis devouring male (So Calif)	A mature praying mantis from the Rocky Mountains of North America (USA)	A praying mantis on a Gum tree (Australia)	Mantis (Melbourne, Australia)
Paramantis prasina seems to like Encyclopedia Jr	European mantis	Mantis nymphs clinging to a leaf (Israel)	Iris oratoria
Juvenile Chinese mantis	Sudanese mantis	Mantis religiosa	Mantis ootheca
Mantis ootheca	Mantis religiosa	Mantis religiosa (Pelegrina, Guadalajara)	A mantis from the Western Ghats
Carolina mantis	Carolina mantis	Mantis nymph, about 4mm long (Israel)	Mantispidae
		An adult Chinese mantis walking on glass	Mantis cleaning itself
Mantis ootheca	Praying mantis feeding on a fly (New Zealand)	Praying mantis in India	Praying mantis on Eucalyptus tree
	Praying mantis on raspberry	Praying mantis	Mantis eating a cricket (Philippines)
Tenodera aridifolia	Juvenile mantis (Texas)	Chinese mantis (Georgia)	Praying Mantis in defense posture (Malaysia)
Flower #9 Mantis