Praying Mantis Facts: Interesting Facts about Praying Mantis
Praying mantis is a type of an insect which is closely related to mantids, termites and cockroaches. There are 2,000 species of praying mantis and almost all of them inhabit tropical and subtropical areas.
Praying mantis is a small insect that reaches between 0.5 to 6 inches in length. color of the praying mantis varies from brown to green depending on its habitat. Color of the body provides camouflage and enables praying mantis to blend with its environment and become invisible for both the Predators and the prey.
Praying mantises live in America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia. They
can be seen in grasses forests gardens and other green areas, praying mantises
are not listed as endangered species.
Interesting praying mantis facts; average life span of the praying mantis in the
wild is 12 months. Praying mantis lays case with 300 eggs in the fall, they turn into nymphs in spring. Nymphs look like miniature version of adult insects but without wings, after molting for couple of times nymph will transform in the adult insect with wings.
Praying mantises are probably the best known by the fact that female eats males head during sexual intercourse, that does not happen that often there are only 30 percent chance that female will attack the male in the wild and it is not essential part of the intercourse. Besides ingesting large amount of nutritional proteins female prolongs the intercourse by eating males head because nerves which stimulate copulation are located in the male’s abdomen away from the head.
Main predators of the praying mantis are elves frogs, monkeys and bats. When threatened praying mantis will stand on its hindlegs and spread its front legs to scare the predator, if this tactic is not effective enough praying mantis will
strike using its front legs and try to bite and pinch the predators.
Praying mantis has a single ear on the bottom of its abdomen. It cannot detect location directional frequency of the sound but it may detect ultrasound.
Praying mantis eats different kinds of insects, grasshoppers, Creek, flies, moths and caterpillars. Some people use praying mantis in pest control in
their yards. But besides pests praying mantis can eradicate some very
beneficial insects such as bees.
Praying mantises segmented body divided in several parts that consists of head thorax and abdomen. Praying mantis has triangular head shaped like triangle with large compound eyes. It is excellent eyesight and it is able to detect the movement of the distance of 60 feet.
