What does a female praying mantis do? Hungry female mantises attract more males

Well, first of all, why “mantis”? The name is quite strange, to be sure. The name of the insect was not invented by anyone, but by Carl Linnaeus himself, the founder of the entire biological table, a great mind. So, when he finally paid attention to the praying mantis, he exclaimed: “Tja, det ser ut som på mantis, för fan!”, which translated from Swedish means “Well, it looks like a praying mantis, damn!”

If you look at a praying mantis, you can really see that the pose of this insect is similar to the pose of a praying person. That is why Linnaeus gave the name Mantis religiosa or “religious priest”, in our opinion.

As for official judgments about the praying mantis, they are as follows. Praying mantises are not just a type of insect, but an entire suborder, with many species. The length of the praying mantis is about 5 cm. In American films, praying mantises sometimes reach five meters in length.

The color of the praying mantis varies from green to brown. The praying mantis has wings, but it rarely uses them, I will tell you why later. Females, for example, use their wings only in exceptional cases. Until a certain point, scientists even believed that the female’s wings were necessary only for intimidation. Then, after observing, they finally realized that the female could fly. True, they still don’t understand why praying mantises need to fly.

Well, not that much later. I actually wanted to reveal all of Mantis's cards at the end, but I can't wait to talk about Mantis' origins now. Official scientific opinions about the origin of the praying mantis are extremely uninteresting. All the same nonsense: the origin of life in water, the first amphibians, arthropods, insects, modifications that led to the development of the praying mantis, blah, blah, blah.

There is also unofficial version origin. It is so obvious that even a child will agree with it, unlike inert scientists. To truly understand the praying mantis, it is enough to look at the face of the praying mantis for a couple of minutes.

Here, watch for two minutes, try to understand.

Do you see? I am sure that you also understood the whole truth, namely that the praying mantis is a creature of unearthly origin. It only looks like an insect, but if you look at it more closely, a version of alien origin immediately comes to mind.

Do not rush to accept the skeptical side of scientists, let's look at some facts together.

Again, let's take coloring. I already said that it varies, but I didn’t say how much. It varies so much that it is impossible to say definitely what color the praying mantis is. Of course, we are used to thinking that the praying mantis is green. This is true, but the mantis is green only when it sees leaves. Since scientists, in their own foolishness, continue to look for praying mantises only on leaves, they have no idea about the ability of the praying mantis to choose any color they please.

How about this coloring?

Look around you and remember that praying mantises are everywhere. They disguise themselves so that we don’t see them, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist, right? Look carefully, perhaps the praying mantis is hiding among your office papers or sitting right on your brand new iPhone. Or maybe he was hiding in an indoor flower.

Don't forget to look in the barn.

Another fact that is known to many. No, I can’t talk about him calmly. The fact is that after sex, the female eats her partner. Do you think this is normal? Imagine a herd of cows. They graze and eat grass peacefully. Then the young bull comes, moo-moo, all that. Here he is climbing on his love, here is sex. And then! The cow turns around and eats the bull whole! One, one, and it's done. And then he continues to peacefully eat grass.

If this is not enough for you, then I will continue. Not only do females eat males after sex. This can be understood: vitamins, nutrients, necessary for the development of the praying man... But how to understand the fact that before sex, the female bites off the male’s head? Before sex, not after. Imagine a herd of cows. However, it’s not necessary, you have no idea. A headless bull on a cow... Really, you shouldn’t even think about it.

In fact, the female does not always bite off the head and does not always eat the male. That is, this is an optional condition. And this only adds new questions like “What’s the point then?!” Scientists keep silent about these questions, while agreeing that in earthly nature this is an exceptional case.

This act of cannibalism inspired not only me. For example, one Frenchman Marcel Rolland wrote about it like this:
“I will tell you below how the praying mantis devours its victims, but I must say that this drama, played out in the mysterious, apparently serene canopy of a hedge, was for me my first meeting with the Relentless. Thus I learned the terrible law of force to which the world is subject.”

There he said a lot more, one might even say that the praying mantis shook his psyche.

Scientists differ so widely in their assessments of this act that they sometimes go too far in their reasoning. So one of the scientists proved the thesis that the very fact of biting and nibbling is not so new in nature. Even among people you can find analogies. In short, I wrote all these words just to quote the words of this scientist:

Myths and folklore do not remain in debt: with their data they confirm the material of individual imagination. First of all, in the North Asian and North American regions there are widespread myths about women with toothed vaginas who kill, cutting off the penis, those who dare to have sexual intercourse with them.

Friends, I will take a short break and then continue. The devouring female praying mantises do not allow me to just pick up and continue my story.

Of course, there will be skeptics who will say “oh well! Common insect! But it's not that simple. Remember the cartoon about kung fu panda? So, there, among the kung fu masters, along with the tiger and the monkey, there was a praying mantis. An unheard of honor for small insect, don't you think?

The fact is that the Chinese were among the first to realize that something was wrong with the praying mantis. Just in case, they began to praise him. They not only drew a praying mantis, it’s not that strange, especially for the Chinese, they came up with a whole style martial art- praying mantis style. Not even a style, but a whole direction of styles, including: “Plum Blossom Mantis”, “Seven Star Mantis”, “Six Coordination Mantis Boxing” and other equally funny names.

We must give credit to the Chinese for understanding the true nature of the praying mantis.

Mantises have wings, but they rarely use them. They do not need them for hunting; mantises have other methods of hunting. They also do not use flight for defense, as they are well camouflaged. Thus, wings are not needed for daily activities. It can be assumed that wings are necessary for migration, but nothing is known about flocks of flying mantises.

Possible solution this fact lies in one of the songs:

I read in one book,
That when it gets bad,
And an ice ax and a saw will rise above the world
They will be removed from the branch
And they will excite you and me,
Under tight wings.

Why do praying mantises have such a strong influence on people’s consciousness? And they really have a strong influence, all over the world. I already talked about the Chinese with their praying mantis style. Other peoples also had special ideas about this insect.

Thus, in Africa there is still a cult of the praying mantis, which is considered a god and founder of the worlds. In Europe they also paid special attention to it. Attitudes towards the praying mantis are ambiguous; in some cultures it is extolled, in others it is considered a demonic creature.

Perhaps the praying mantis earned such attention through its ability to look. The praying mantis is perhaps the only insect that has the ability to move its head in the direction of its gaze. That is, unlike other insects, he not only sees, but also looks.

Generally speaking, the number of beliefs and myths associated with the praying mantis is amazing.

Another interesting fact. The praying mantis gets along just fine without a head and can even have sex. But that is not all. Not only can he walk and balance without a head, but without a head he can pretend to be dead. That is, being dead, he can pretend to be dead.

This incredible feature, as well as the ability to perfectly change one’s appearance, prompted one African tribe to the creation of a myth about how a praying mantis turned into a dead antelope. The hunters found him and prepared to cut him with stone knives. But even then the mantis remained motionless. Then they started cutting pieces off the antelope. And only after this, the antelope again turned into a praying mantis. It was an elder pilgrim, he collected all his cut-off parts, attached them to himself and began to run with his paws raised (well, you know how he can do that), grab and eat children.

This is such a mythical African horror.

The praying mantis is an insect whose body shape and habits are very unusual. With its appearance it resembles a praying person, which is why it received the name “priest” in Greece, but such an appearance could not hide the cruel disposition of this insect. The female praying mantis is the most famous example of cannibalism among animals due to its habit of biting off its partner's head during mating. She can do this both during it and after it.

According to most zoologists, this behavior is largely due to the fact that females in this way not only supply their body with a sufficient amount of proteins required during pregnancy, but sometimes even deliberately provoke the release of semen by decapitating the partner.

Appearance

The adult female praying mantis is a rather graceful insect. What stands out most in its appearance are its elongated gas wings of a light green hue and thin waist. The mantis's head ends with a pointed "beak", and due to its movable neck it can rotate its head in any direction. In addition, this is the only insect that consciously directs its gaze when examining its surroundings.

Mantis weapon

Despite its rather peaceful body type, its front legs have deadly strength. Their main purpose is to create a kind of trap for the intended victims. on their inside in close proximity to the body there are beautiful black spots, each of which is decorated with a white eye inside and several rows of small ivory spots that complement the decoration favorably.

The thigh is quite long and resembles a spindle in appearance, the entire front part of which is equipped with a double row of sharp spines. The longer spines are painted black, and the shorter ones green, resulting in the mantis's thigh being very similar in appearance to a saw blade.

The lower leg at the junction with the thigh is quite mobile. It also contains thorns, although smaller, but quite densely located. At its end there is a powerful needle-shaped hook, on the lower part of which there is a groove with several curved blades.

When the female praying mantis is in a calm state, all the elements of her legs are bent in such a way that she takes on a very harmless appearance, however, as soon as suitable prey appears nearby, her legs straighten forward and she clings to the prey with them, pulling it towards her. As a result of such a maneuver, the insect ends up between four legs topped with rows of spines. No matter how the insect resists after this, if it falls into such a trap, it is doomed to death.

Features of hunting and nutrition

When hunting, the female praying mantis spreads her wings to their full width. The end of the abdomen rises and falls with fairly sharp movements. Her body at this time rests on four hind legs, as a result of which the insect holds its entire long chest almost vertically. The front legs are extended to their full length, exposing the armpits.

In this position, she motionlessly watches the approaching food, turning her head when it changes place. After the insect is captured, the female folds her wings, assumes her usual position and begins to eat.

The beginning of the mating season

After the onset of heat, all mantises lead a peaceful lifestyle, during which the females do not quarrel with each other, but this does not last long. The closer the mating period gets, the more aggressive they become. The increased work of the ovaries causes the females to need to lay eggs, instilling in them a strange desire to eat each other.

If the fight should end only in scratches, then the front paws remain folded. At the first injuries, one of the combatants admits herself defeated and leaves. However, quite often the outcome takes an extremely negative turn, as a result of which the rivals use their grasping legs during the fight. The winner devours the victim, starting from the back of the head.

After mating, female mantises return to a calm state, in which they remain throughout the year until the onset of cold weather.

Formation of a couple

At the end of August - beginning of September, the male praying mantis, quite small and pathetic compared to the female, waits for a favorable moment, periodically turning his neck towards his partner and sticking out his chest. He approaches her and opens his trembling wings. After his advances are accepted, the couple separates for a while, but within the next day the male is attacked by his girlfriend. The female praying mantis eats the male after mating, paralyzing him with a bite to the back of the head, and eats him in small pieces down to the wings.

Reproduction

During breeding, the male sits on the female’s back, holding her tightly with all his paws. Sometimes the female bites off the male's head without even waiting for the completion of sexual intercourse. The female praying mantis at this moment turns her head over her shoulder and begins to methodically devour her partner while the remaining part of his body continues to fulfill its natural purpose. The male has no chance of escape, since he is firmly restrained by the pinches with which he was originally attached to the female’s body.

In addition, in some cases, the female praying mantis eats the male after mating, and eating males is observed in almost all members of the praying mantis family. Even the female of the tiny colorless mantis begins to eat the male with the same spontaneity as the female of the common mantis.

Causes of aggressive behavior

Scientists have not come to a consensus on why female praying mantises eat the male after mating, but they have put forward several main hypotheses about what is happening. The first and most common of them is that in this way they seek to compensate for the lack of natural protein they need to fully bear their offspring. The second version is that females in this way stimulate the production of semen in their partner.

The praying mantis is perhaps one of the most amazing and strange insects on our planet, both in its habits and way of life, some features of which can slightly (or even greatly) shock us people. Yes, we're talking about about the famous mating habits of praying mantises, when a female praying mantis, after the mating process (and sometimes right during the process), eats her unlucky gentleman. But, of course, this is not the only thing that makes praying mantises remarkable for, and in our article today we will tell you about all aspects of the life of these unusual insects.

Origin of the name praying mantis

The academic name for the praying mantis was given back in 1758 by the great Swedish naturalist Karl Liney, who drew attention to the fact that the pose of a praying mantis in ambush and guarding its prey is very similar to the pose of a man folding his hands in prayer to God. Because of such striking similarity, the scientist gave the insect Latin name“Mantis religiosa”, which literally translates as “religious priest”, is where the name “mantis” actually came into our language.

Although it is not called this way everywhere, our hero also has other, not so blissful names, for example, in Spain he is called Caballito del Diablo - the devil's horse or simply - muerte - death. Such creepy names are obviously associated with the equally creepy habits of praying mantises.

What a praying mantis looks like: structure and characteristics

The structure of the praying mantis is characterized by an elongated body, which distinguishes it from other arthropod insects.

The praying mantis is perhaps the only living creature that can easily turn its triangular shape, head all 360 degrees. Thanks to such a useful skill, he can see an enemy approaching from behind. He also has only one ear, but despite this, he has excellent hearing.

The eyes of the praying mantis have a complex faceted structure, located on the sides of the head, but in addition to them, our hero has three more simple eyes above the base of the antennae.

The antennae of mantises are comb-like, feathery or filamentous, depending on the species of the insect.

Mantises, almost all of their species, have well-developed wings, but mainly only males can fly; females, due to their more weight and size, it is more difficult to fly than males. The wings of praying mantises consist of two pairs: front and rear, the front ones serve as a kind of elytra that protect the hind wings. Also, mantis wings usually have bright colors, and sometimes there are even original drawings on them. But among the many varieties of mantises, there is a kind of earthen mantis (Latin name Geomantis larvoides), which has no wings at all.

Mantises have well-developed forelimbs, which have a rather complex structure - each of them consists of many parts: trochanters, femurs, tibiae and tarsi. The bottom of the thigh has large sharp spines arranged in three rows. There are also spines (though smaller ones) on the mantis’s shin, which is decorated with a sharp, needle-like hook at the end. See the picture for an indicative structure of a praying mantis’ foot.

Mantises hold their prey just between the thigh and the lower leg until their meal is over.

The blood circulation of praying mantises is primitive, but there is a reason for this - an unusual respiratory system. The mantis is equipped with a complex system of tracheae connected to dichals (stigmas) on the abdomen in the middle and posterior part of the body. The trachea contains air sacs that enhance ventilation throughout the respiratory system.

Sizes of praying mantises

We have already mentioned above that female praying mantises are much larger than males, oddly enough, this is where their main sexual difference manifests itself.

A species of praying mantis, called Ischnomantis gigas in Latin and living in Africa, can reach 17 cm in length; perhaps this representative of the praying mantis kingdom is a real record holder in size.

Ischnomantis gigas is the largest praying mantis in the world.

It is slightly inferior to Heterochaeta orientalis or Heterochaeta eastern, it reaches 16 cm in length. Ordinary mantises are much smaller in size, on average no more than 0.5-1.5 cm in length.

Mantis color

Like many other insects, mantises have excellent camouflage abilities, this biological method protection from predators, due to this their colors have, depending on environment, green, yellow and brown tones. Green mantises live on green leaves, while brown ones are inseparable from the bark of trees.

What does a praying mantis eat?

It is no secret that our hero is a notorious predator who loves to feed on both smaller insects and is not afraid to attack larger prey even than himself. They eat flies, wasps, bumblebees, butterflies, beetles, etc. Large representatives of the praying mantis family (see above) can even attack small rodents, birds and small amphibians: frogs,.

Mantises usually attack from an ambush, unexpectedly grab the prey with their front paws and do not let go until they have completely eaten it. Strong jaws allow these gluttons to eat even a relatively large victim.

Enemies of Mantises

Although mantises are excellent predators and hunters, they themselves can also become prey for snakes, some birds or bats. But the main enemies of mantises, perhaps, are their own relatives - other mantises. Fights to the death between two rival mantises are not uncommon. The fights themselves, both between praying mantises and with other insects, are very spectacular; first of all, the praying mantis seeks to scare its opponent, for this it takes a special frightening pose - it throws its front paws forward and lifts its belly up. All this may be accompanied by corresponding threatening sounds. Such a demonstration of strength is by no means feigned; mantises are desperately brave and bravely rush even at a much larger opponent. Thanks to such courage and bravery, mantises often emerge victorious from such battles.

Where does the praying mantis live?

Almost everywhere, since their habitat is very wide: Central and Southern Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa, Australia. They are not found only in northern regions, since mantises are not very accustomed to cold. But they are perfectly suited to, for example, hot and humid climates tropical Africa And South America. Praying mantises feel great in tropical forests, both in steppe regions and rocky deserts.

They rarely move from place to place, preferring their usual habitat to unknown distant places, the only reason that can prompt them to travel is the lack of food supply.

Types of mantises: photos and names

Scientists have counted about 2000 various types mantises, unfortunately, we will not be able to list them all in our article, but we will describe, in our opinion, the most interesting representatives.

Mantis ordinary lives in most countries of Europe, Asia, Africa. The common praying mantis is a very large representative of the praying mantis kingdom, reaching up to 7 cm (female) and 6 cm (male). As a rule, they are green or brown in color, the wings are well developed, at least, flying from branch to branch is not a problem for the common mantis. The abdomen is ovoid. This type of mantis can be distinguished by a black spot, which is located on the coxae of the front pair of legs on the inside.

Obviously, the homeland and main habitat of this type of mantis is China. The Chinese mantis is quite large, females reach up to 15 cm in length, but the size of males is much more modest. Have green and brown colors. A characteristic feature of Chinese mantises is their night look life, while their other relatives are still sleeping at night. Also, young individuals of Chinese mantises do not have wings, which grow only after several molts, at which time they acquire the ability to fly.

The praying mantis Creobroter meleagris lives in southwest Asia: India, Vietnam, Cambodia and several other countries. Usually reach 5 cm in length. The colors are white and cream. You can recognize them by the light brown stripes that run along the entire body and head. Also on the wings they have one small and one large spot of white or cream color.

He especially loves the mantis Creobroter gemmatus rain forests south india, Vietnam and other Asian countries. This species is small, females grow to only 40 mm, males up to 38 mm. The body is more elongated than that of other relatives. And for additional protection, the Indian praying mantis has special spikes of different heights on its hips. Painted in cream colors. Representatives of this species are excellent flyers, both males and females, due to their low weight, and both pairs of wings are well developed. Interestingly, on the front wings they have a spot similar to an eye with two pupils, which scares away predators. Flower mantises live, as their names suggest, in plant flowers, where they guard their prey.

The same mantis Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii lives in the countries of southern and east africa. In terms of lifestyle and size, it is very similar to the Indian flower mantis. But what is especially interesting is its coloring - it is truly artistic; on the upper pair of wings there is an interesting pattern reminiscent of a spiral or even an eye. The abdomen of this species has additional spines, which give it its name.

The orchid mantis is, in our opinion, the most beautiful representative of the mantis world. It also got its name for a reason, namely for external resemblance with beautiful orchids, on which he actually hides in ambush, waiting for his next victim. Female orchid mantises are exactly twice as large as males: 80 mm versus 40. And orchid mantises, even among other mantises, are distinguished by amazing courage; representatives of this species are not afraid to attack even insects twice their size.

The oriental heterochaete, or spiny-eyed mantis, is one of the largest mantises in the world (the female reaches 15 cm in length) and lives throughout most of Africa. These mantises live in the branches of bushes, fortunately appearance also resembles twigs.

Reproduction of praying mantises

And here we move on to the most interesting part, namely the reproduction of mantises, which, as a rule, has a sad and tragic end for the males. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, but start in order. With the onset of the mating season (usually in the fall), male praying mantises, using their organs of charm, begin searching for females ready to mate. Having found one, he performs a special “mating dance” in front of her, which elevates him to the rank of sexual partner. Then the mating process itself begins, during which the female praying mantis has the bad habit of biting off her male’s head and then completely eating him. Some scientists believe that this behavior, which is more than creepy in our opinion, also has its own biological reasons– having eaten her “groom”, the female in this simple way replenishes the reserves of nutritious protein substances necessary for future offspring.

Although it also happens that the male manages to get away from his “beloved” in time, thereby avoiding the sad fate of food.

After some time, the fertilized female lays eggs, simultaneously enveloping them with a special sticky secretion, which is secreted by their special glands. This secretion serves as a kind of protective capsule for the eggs of future mantises and is called an ooteca. The fertility of a female depends on its species; usually a female is capable of laying from 10 to 400 eggs at a time.

Praying mantis larvae stay in the eggs from three weeks to six months, after which they crawl out of the eggs. Further, their development proceeds at a fairly fast pace and after about 4-8 molts the larva degenerates into an adult mantis.

Keeping praying mantises at home

Terrarium

It would be a very exotic and unusual act to get yourself a pet praying mantis, wouldn’t it? However, there are people who have such “pets” and if you also want to join them, then the first thing you will have to take care of is the terrarium. A relatively small glass or plastic terrarium with a mesh lid is suitable; its dimensions should be at least three times the size of the mantis itself. Inside it would be nice to place twigs or small plants on which the praying mantis will climb like trees.

Temperature

Praying mantises are heat-loving insects, so optimal temperature for them it will be from +23 to +30 C. You can use special heaters for terrariums.

Humidity

Also, do not forget about humidity, which is also important for these insects. The optimal humidity for praying mantises is 40-60%, and to maintain it, you can place a small container of water inside the terrarium.

What to feed praying mantises at home

Live food. Grasshoppers, cockroaches, flies are perfect. Some species of praying mantises will not mind eating ants. And at the same time, they need to be fed regularly, so keeping such “pets” can be somewhat troublesome. But you don’t need to give praying mantises water, since they get the liquid the body needs from food.

• One of the styles of Chinese martial arts wushu is named after the praying mantis; according to legend, this style was invented by a Chinese peasant watching mantises hunt.
• In the Soviet Union at one time they wanted to industrially use praying mantises as biological protection from pests of agricultural plants. True, this idea had to be abandoned, since the praying mantises also ate beneficial insects, including bees.
• Since ancient times, praying mantises have been frequent heroes of various myths and legends among African and Asian peoples; for example, in China they personified stubbornness and greed, and the ancient Greeks attributed to them the ability to predict the coming of spring.

The praying mantis is an insect from another planet, video

And in conclusion, we bring to your attention an interesting popular science film about praying mantises.

Mantises are large predatory insects with an elongated body, a triangular head, and forelimbs designed for grasping and holding prey. They resemble sinister space aliens, although they are ordinary natives of planet Earth. The question of what a praying mantis looks like is becoming less and less relevant. In order to go catching a specimen for your entomological collection, this knowledge will soon no longer be required. The common praying mantis is growing in Russia rare species due to the plowing of the steppes, which are its main habitat. It is listed in the Red Book of some Russian regions.

Are praying mantises found in Russia?

The most common insect species in Europe is the "common mantis". This species is also found in Russia, because borders do not matter for the distribution of insects. Going for a walk in the steppe areas there is a chance to spot one of its species. However, civilization is increasingly disrupting the habitual way of life of these insects. It is possible to see a praying mantis even on the asphalt in the middle of the city or on your own windowsill. Of course, the further north you go, the less likely it is to encounter such an insect, since it thrives only in arid, hot climates.

Where do praying mantises live in Russia?

The praying mantis lives in the southern part middle zone Russia. It can be seen in Crimea and the Caucasus. The praying mantis settles both in steppe grass and on tree branches. If there is enough food around, it can stay in one place throughout its life. The praying mantis lives everywhere in Russia, except that you rarely see it in the northern regions. Only rare individuals are found there. What types of insects are known and what areas are their predominant habitat:

Because of large sizes insect, mantis is easy to catch. He will focus on creative assignments in biology for Russian schoolchildren. The insect is kept in a jar with ventilation holes in the lid. They feed them flies and larvae. The food must be alive: the insect is used to hunting and will not eat carrion. It is better not to put praying mantises in one container: the stronger individual will destroy the weaker one in the struggle for living space. Thus, every inquisitive schoolchild knows whether various praying mantises are found in Russia.

Despite the fact that mantises are accustomed to living in trees or among steppe grass, some species are able to adapt to new urban living conditions. After all, without the ability to adapt to changes, an insect will not be able to continue its species, and who knows, perhaps in the near future, the praying mantis will become as common a creature as a fly for residents of megacities.

Paws folded as if in prayer, a pose full of humility and sorrow - before you is a praying mantis - one of the most extraordinary creatures on earth, which cannot be confused with someone else, but can easily be mistaken for a twig, leaf or blade of grass.

Common praying mantis: close-up photo.

Mantis on cucumbers.

About 3 thousand now known species praying mantises belong to the largest detachment praying mantises - arthropod insects with incomplete metamorphosis. One of the most common species is the religious mantis (Mantis religiosa), a member of the family of true mantises, named by Carl Linnaeus due to its characteristic prayer pose.

Having examined the praying mantis more closely and learned its true character, it becomes clear that behind the deceptive humility lies a cunning, cruel and merciless predator, far from being a saint, but rather vicious.

Here are photos of different types of praying mantises from around the world:

Red mantis, photo taken on the island of Crete.

Orchid mantis. Habitat: India and Indonesia.

Orchid mantis in all its glory.

Praying mantis Phyllocrania paradoxa. Habitat: Madagascar.

Mantis Devil's flower. Habitat: East Africa.

Mantis Blepharopsis mendica. Habitat: North Africa, Asia Minor.

Mantis, we are finding out the type of insect.

What does a praying mantis look like?

Praying mantises - enough large predators, growing up to 15 cm in length, with females being much more massive and heavier than males. Long body insects are equipped with well-developed front and rear wings, which spread out like a chic fan to intimidate enemies.

The front legs of mantises are folded in prayer only when at rest, and their main purpose is to capture and hold prey, sometimes much larger than the mantis itself. Their thighs and legs are covered with rows of large and sharp spines, to which the mantis presses the caught victim, and the hind limbs of the insects are well adapted for walking.

Mantis on flowers.

Mantis on a flower, photo No. 2.

Praying mantises can engage in cannibalism.

Mantis. The photo was taken in the Moscow region. Camera smartphone NOKIA LUMIA 1020.

The most notable feature of praying mantises is their triangular head with with huge eyes, so mobile that these insects are the only ones who can easily look behind themselves with one turn of their heads.

The oral apparatus of mantises is excellently developed, and powerful jaws They do an excellent job of grinding large and tough prey.

The art of camouflage

Praying mantises have a reputation unsurpassed masters camouflage, skillfully using camouflage colors to blend harmoniously with the surrounding landscape. For example, some African species of mantises turn black in order to successfully hunt at fire sites.

Most predators are colored in a rich, grassy - green color, there are beige and brownish specimens, and only 5 Asian species from the family Metallyticidae they are distinguished by their blue-green color with a metallic tint.

Cunning insects can not only mimic the color of foliage, stones and trees, but also skillfully imitate leaves, shoots, grass stems and even fruit seeds with the position of their bodies.

Where do praying mantises live?

Today these insects are found in southern Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Australia and are very numerous throughout their range. Praying mantises adapt well to different biotopes and, when there is an abundant food supply, prefer sedentary image life.

Despite their frightening appearance, mantises are highly valued by farmers of all countries, they welcome them and try to use them as an effective biological weapons to combat insects - agricultural pests.

In America and a number of Asian countries they are kept as pets - exterminators of flies and mosquitoes, and lovers of exotic insects decorate their insectariums with them.

Common mantis(Mantis religiosa).

Common mantis, or religious mantis.

Common praying mantis.

Common praying mantis in the grass.

Mantis, macro photography.

A praying mantis on top of a cliff, against the backdrop of the Black Sea coast.

Hunting mantis

Mantises spend most of their lives in their characteristic position, waiting for prey, and thanks to their excellent vision, they mark the victim from afar and quickly attack when the prey is within reach.

Sometimes, young mantises, in order to survive, feed on their weaker brothers.

Praying mantises eat various insects, hunt small snakes, frogs and lizards, attack birds and rodents, practice cannibalism on occasion and will not refuse to feast on their own offspring.

These fearless and arrogant predators are not afraid to demonstrate their superiority by frighteningly bristling their wings and throwing them forward. long paws, raising his butt in the air and rushing into battle. If the potential victim turns out to be stronger, the mantis retreats and flies away.

Mantis defensive stance.

Mantis defensive stance.

Common mantis, or religious mantis (lat. Mantis religiosa).

According to legend, one of the most famous styles of Chinese wushu - tanglangquan or "mantis style" arose after a famous master observed the technique of a duel between two insects, when a large cicada was unable to escape from the iron grip of the mantis.

Reproduction and dance of the praying mantis

Mantises owe their fame partly to the original behavior of females, who eat males after or during mating. This feature is explained by the need of females for high doses of protein necessary for the development of eggs, so males have to resort to various tricks to avoid death.

Praying mantises mating. Transcaucasian praying mantis (Hierodula transcaucasica).

At the end of the last century, researchers studying the Chinese mantis noticed how males, during courtship, perform an eerie but effective dance in front of the female in an attempt to make them perceive themselves as a partner, and not as a food object. It is difficult to judge how well the dance really works, however, about half of the matings end quite happily for the males.

The female lays from 10 to 400 eggs, which she places in a capsule - an ootheca, and hangs on bushes, grass and tree branches. In the larval stage, the insect resembles a worm, and after hatching and shedding, it turns into a full-fledged praying mantis. Having been born, the offspring, for the purpose of self-preservation, tries to quickly hide from the mother’s eyes.

The life of mantises is interesting and short, most individuals live 6 - 7 months, and only specimens overwintering in the ooteca are able to live for a year.