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Praying Mantis

There are more than 2,000 species of mantids, or mantises. The most well-known is the praying mantis so called from its prayer-like posture. Mantises are always predators, catching and eating insects including their own species. Larger ones will even feed on lizards and birds.

701 Questions

Is a praying mantis a reptile?

No. All mantids including praying mantises are insects. They are invertibrates as their skeletal system is external. This type of bone structure is called an extoskeleton. Reptiles have internal bones and a similar skeletal system to humans.

5 favourite foods of praying mantis?

A praying mantis loves to eat grasshoppers.

Why does praying mantis female eat the male?

So the male mantis doesn't eat the baby. Another possibility is that the female eats the male to sustain her protein levels during pregnancy thus increasing the likelihood of healthy nymphs.

Why is my mantis bigger without an exoskeleton?

She's a nymph, and she got a lot bigger. I don't know if I interrupted her molt but she's moving and she didn't eat the crickets I tried feeding her at first but now there's nothing left but cricket legs in her terrarium. I kept the humidity up and tried feeding her. I don't know what a mantis looks like when it's molting (nor when the process of molting it interrupted). All I know is that Mandy (my Carolina mantis) is bigger and theirs no exoskeleton!

How do you keep your pet Praying Mantis in your garden?

if you try to keep a pet mantis in the garden without a cage it will fly away during the night do NOT CLIP WINGS if you do the mantis will most likely die and it will just crawl away.

What are segments on the preying mantis?

The segments on a praying mantis are just there so you can identify if it is a male or female in the early stages of it's life. A female's abdomen has at most 5 segments while a male's has about 7 or more.

Can a praying mantis kill a human?

No, it is a common misconception that they spit a toxic substance. Mantis may "spit" a brown substance around their mouths as a defensive regurgitation like some other insects do, but this secretion is not dangerous to humans.

Additional note: However, you may be thinking of a type of walking stick insect that can actually "spit" secretions away from itself in defense of predators. The substance they spit can not kill but it can cause irritation where it hits, and even temporary blindness if it hits an eye. This insect is in an order of insects called Phasmatodea or Phasmida. In the US generally they are in the family of Phylliidae. One such type among the particular species that spit this substance is in the genus Anisomorpha.

The climate for a praying mantis?

they like warmth in the day, coolness at night.

Why are mantis legs folded and spiny?

A mantis' legs are folded for preparation to strike its prey. When the legs are folded they are always ready to extend them rapidly and catch its next meal off guard. That being said, the reason of the spiny "barbs" on the legs are to hook its catch and keep the insect close and not to escape.

What species of praying mantises live in palm desert California?

Often Chinese or California, but could be European and Mediterranean

What foods do praying mantids eat?

A praying mantis will eat a variety of foods including other insects and even small birds in the wild. They can even eat fruit flies, house flies, bees, and wasps.

My praying mantis has a bent tail what does that mean?

They need to breathe as their bodies are slanted. There are 2,000 species of praying mantis, and some are born with bent tails, as this is their species. So, your praying mantis is fine.

What is everything that a praying mantis will eat?

flies, ants, spiders, ladybugs, moths, crickets and wasps

Actually, they will eat just about any insect except wasps and ants.

Are praying mantises going instinct?

yes, and no at the same time. There are some extremely endangered species of praying mantises as of 2011. Yet there are still many species that are thriving in the eastern united states and in Australia.

How does a praying mantis move?

The praying mantis is an insect with six legs and no wings, so it walks.

-Mostly wrong. The mantis walks on four legs, while the other two "legs" are more like arms that he uses to grasp and kill prey, though it can help with movement like climbing things. Some breeds of mantis DO have wings, though it's usually the males that can only fly. http://www.dheconsl.net/praying_mantis.jpg

How do you determine the age of a praying mantis?

As far as I know, you can only determine it to an extent. If they have wings at all (females will have shorter wings, sometimes harder to see, males will generally always extend past the end of their abdomen), they are a full adult, which would indicate anywhere beyond 2 months, depending on species. You can also judge based on size, as they generally double in size each molting. If they are about 1/4 an inch, they are newborn, then they molt each week or so, doubling in size. So if it's about an inch long, they would most likely be 2-4 weeks old.