What do green praying mantises eat? Why does a female praying mantis eat the male after mating? Natural habitat

This is one of the most unusual and mysterious insects on our planet. It differs from many others in habits, way of life, some behavioral characteristics which may shock. First of all, this is behavior during the mating season. But this is not main feature praying mantis insect. In this article we will talk about this in detail. amazing creature, about its way of life, varieties, habitats. You will learn what the praying mantis eats and how the reproduction process occurs.

Spreading

The praying mantis is widespread in Southern and Central Europe, Southern and North America, Asia, Australia, Africa. These insects do not live only in the northern regions, since they have an extremely negative attitude towards the cold. But in humid and hot climates tropical Africa And South America they feel great.

They feel no less comfortable in tropical forests, in rocky deserts, in steppe regions. The praying mantis insect moves quite rarely, preferring its habitat to distant and unknown territories. The only reason, which can force him to travel is a lack of food.

Types of praying mantises

Scientists believe that our planet is inhabited by about two thousand various types these insects. Naturally, we will not be able to present you with all the varieties in this article, but we will tell you about, in our opinion, the most unusual representatives of this family.

Common praying mantis

It's pretty major representative species: the female is up to seven centimeters long, the male is about six. In the countries of Europe, Africa and Asia, where the mantis of this species lives, it can be distinguished by its ovoid abdomen and black spots located on the front pairs of legs with inside. They are usually painted green or brown. This species has well developed wings. In any case, the praying mantis flies from branch to branch quite easily.

Chinese mantis

From the name you can understand that the birthplace and place of distribution is China. This is a large insect, reaching a length of fifteen centimeters. The male Chinese mantis is much smaller. They are painted green or brown. The peculiarity of this species is its nocturnal lifestyle, although its relatives sleep at night.

In addition, young individuals of this species do not have wings: they grow only after several molts.

Creobroter meleagris

This is a resident of India, Cambodia, Vietnam and a number of Asian countries. These insects reach five centimeters in length. Colored in cream or white. Their distinctive feature is light brown stripes running along the head and entire body. In addition, one small and one larger cream-colored spot can be seen on the wings.

Flower mantis (Indian)

Creobroter gemmatus is common in the forests of Vietnam, South India and other Asian countries. This species is not large in size: females grow up to only four centimeters, and males are slightly smaller. The body is elongated. For additional protection from enemies, representatives of this species have special spikes of varying heights on their thighs.

Orchid mantis

It seems to us that this is the most spectacular praying mantis. It got its name for a reason - for its amazing external resemblance with beautiful flowers, orchids. It is on them that the insect ambushes in anticipation of the victim. The females of this species are twice the size of the males: eight and four centimeters. Orchid mantises, even among their fellows, are distinguished by amazing courage: they even attack insects that are more than twice their size.

Spiny flower mantis

Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii is a native of Africa. It closely resembles the Indian flower mantis. Its color is especially interesting: on the upper pair of wings you can see a pattern that resembles a spiral. Representatives of this species have spines on their abdomen, which give the species its name. Representatives of this species are painted in cream shades.

They fly beautifully, both males and females, due to their light weight, and the wings of such insects are well developed. Interestingly, these insects have spots on them that resemble an eye with two pupils, which, according to researchers, can scare away predators. Representatives of the species live in plant flowers, where they lie in wait for their prey.

History of insect names

In 1758, the name of these insects was given by a Swedish traveler and scientist Karl Linnaeus, who drew attention to the usual pose of the praying mantis, which is in ambush and awaits its prey. It is very reminiscent of the pose of a praying person. The scientist named insect Mantis religiosa, which can be translated as “religious priest.” The name came into the Russian language modified - “mantis”. True, it is not called that way everywhere: for example, in Spain it is called Caballito del Diablo, which translates as “devil’s horse.” This somewhat creepy name is probably due to the habits of praying mantises.

Description of mantises

The insect has an elongated body, which distinguishes it from many arthropods. This is probably the only thing Living being, which can easily rotate its triangular head 360°. Thanks to this, the mantis can see its enemy approaching from behind. The insect has only one ear, but despite this, the mantis does not complain about hearing.

Its eyes have a complex facet structure and are located on the sides of the head, but in addition to them, the mantis has three more simple eyes located above the base of the mustache. Antennae can be feathery, filiform or comb depending on the type a certain type. Almost all species of mantises have well-developed wings, but males fly more often, females have significantly more weight, which makes flying difficult.

The wings of praying mantises are presented in two pairs: front and back. The first are the elytra, which practically protect the hind wings, which have quite bright colors, and often with original drawings. But the earthen mantis (Geomantis larvoides) has no wings at all.

The blood circulation of mantises is quite primitive, which is explained by their unusual respiratory system. Oxygen enters the mantis through complex system tracheas, which connect to spiracles (stigmas) located on the abdomen in the posterior and middle parts of the body. The trachea contains air sacs that enhance ventilation of the respiratory system.

Color

Like many insects, praying mantises naturally have the ability to camouflage to protect themselves from enemies. They change body color depending on their habitat: yellow, brown, green. Brown insects are inseparable from the bark of trees, and green insects live on green leaves.

What does a praying mantis eat?

It should be noted that the praying mantis is a predator that feeds on smaller insects and is not afraid to attack prey larger than itself. Flies and mosquitoes, wasps and bees, butterflies and bumblebees, beetles - that's all that the praying mantis eats. Larger species are capable of attacking even small birds, rodents and small amphibians: lizards, frogs.

Praying mantises ambush their prey, quickly grab it with their front paws and do not let go until they eat it completely.

Lifestyle of a praying mantis

Having figured out what the praying mantis eats, you need to get acquainted with how the life of this insect is organized. Mantis leads sedentary image life, settling for a long time in one territory. If there is enough food around, an insect can spend its entire life on one plant or tree branch.

Despite the fact that praying mantises fly well and have two pairs of wings, they use them quite rarely, preferring to use their long limbs for movement. Males fly mainly in dark time days, flying from branch to branch. In addition, they move from tier to tier, at the foot tall trees and on the tops of crowns, depending on where the praying mantises live.

We talked about the fact that these insects cannot stand the cold. Therefore, the question arises of how the praying mantis overwinters. Cold period it survives time in the form of diapausing eggs, the laying of which begins in the summer and ends in late autumn. A clutch can contain up to three hundred eggs. They remain in a capsule until spring and easily tolerate frosts down to 18 °C.

Reproduction of praying mantises

Male praying mantis with onset mating season(as a rule, it occurs in autumn), using the olfactory organs, they begin to search for females who are ready to mate. Having found his chosen one, the male performs in front of her “ mating dance”, which automatically turns him into a sexual partner. After this, mating begins, during which the female praying mantis bites off the male's head and then completely eats him.

Scientists believe that this behavior has biological reasons. By eating her “groom,” the female replenishes her protein supply. nutrients, which are necessary for future offspring. In rare cases, the male manages to leave the bloodthirsty chosen one in time and avoids a sad fate.

After some time, the female lays eggs, enveloping their entire surface with a special sticky secretion, which she secretes from the glands. For eggs, this is a kind of protective capsule, which is called an ooteca. The fertility of each female largely depends on the species. As a rule, one clutch consists of 300-400 eggs. Insect larvae stay in eggs treated in this way from three weeks to six months, after which they crawl out of them on their own. Then their development proceeds rapidly, and after four to eight molts the larva turns into an adult mantis.

Today, you can increasingly meet people who keep praying mantises at home. There is a belief that if a praying mantis lives in the house, it is fortunate: peace and prosperity will reign in the family. These creatures do not smell, do not make unnecessary sounds, and do not require much space, time, or attention. But before starting as pet This is an interesting insect; it won’t hurt you to learn about the peculiarities of keeping a praying mantis, its suitable habitat, feeding, and the intricacies of care.

Where can I buy a praying mantis and how much does it cost?

You can find praying mantises in some pet stores or look for advertisements for the sale of these wonderful insects on the Internet.

The price of a praying mantis primarily depends on the species. Thus, the common mantis (Mantis religiosa) can be purchased for 500-1000 rubles, the orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) - for 3000 rubles, the spiny flower mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii) - for 1500-4000 rubles. The most expensive looking, perhaps, is the “devil’s flower” mantis (Idolomantis diabolica) – 11-12 thousand rubles.

It should be noted that it is better for beginners to pay attention to types that are easy to maintain. For example, (Sphodromantis centralis) is easy to maintain and the most popular among beginners.

How to choose a praying mantis?

It is best to purchase praying mantis larvae (nymphs). When you take an adult mantis into your home, you cannot know its age. It is possible that the insect will quickly die without producing offspring. Unfortunately, the life of mantises is short - only 5-9 months, rarely, with proper maintenance and care, 1 year. Adults live only about two months. Males are usually the first to die - after the breeding season, they lose the desire to hunt, they become exhausted and lethargic.

When choosing a nymph, give preference to active ones. Inspect the limbs for damage. The abdomen should have a full appearance.

What signs can be used to determine that a praying mantis is an adult?

Adults have wings, while nymphs do not. However, there are also completely wingless species of mantises, for example, the ground mantis (Geomantis larvoides).

How to properly pick up a praying mantis?

For humans, praying mantises do not pose a danger, but, like any living creature, if threatened, they either run away or try to defend themselves. Therefore, when you examine an insect, pick it up without making sudden movements, otherwise the mantis may run briskly and fall. Adult mantises are able to protect themselves from injury when falling - they spread their wings, thereby reducing the speed of their fall. But for a young nymph, the fall usually ends with a rupture of the abdomen. If the mantis takes a threatening pose, it is better not to touch it: the thorny spines on the front legs can scratch you.

You need to pick up an insect to examine it correctly. Movements should be slow and smooth. The hand is carefully lifted from the back and the fingers are placed under the legs of the insect so that it is completely in the palm of your hand. You cannot press or squeeze the praying mantis.

In general, you shouldn’t pick up a praying mantis unless absolutely necessary. It’s better to place your palm and let the insect climb onto it (you can push it slightly).

Where to place the praying mantis?

The most “economical” housing for a praying mantis is a specially equipped plastic container, in which it is also necessary to create a “home environment” - place twigs and put soil on the bottom. The height of the container should be 2-3 times longer insect.

If you plan to breed mantises, then you will need several terrariums or containers, since most species of mantises cannot be kept in groups.

Keep in mind that mantises are heat-loving: for a comfortable existence, most species need a temperature of +23 - +25 ° C, and some tropical species– +28 – +30° C. To heat the terrarium, you can use a regular incandescent lamp, which also serves as a light source. Thermal heating pads for terrariums are also suitable for heating. However, do not forget that too heat destructive to praying mantises. A small thermometer that is attached to the glass will help you control the temperature.

Is it possible to keep a praying mantis without a terrarium, right in the room?

Some species can live without a terrarium. For example, females of Hierodula, Sphodromantis, Mantis. They can be placed on house plants. The main thing is not to forget to feed your predator on time, then he will not leave his home. And remember: the room must be at a temperature suitable for this type of mantis.

What to feed the praying mantis?

Think in advance whether you can provide. This rather voracious and capricious predator feeds only on insects, live and mobile ones, and nothing else. You will have to buy cockroaches and other food insects at a pet store or breed them yourself. Another option is to catch grasshoppers, moths, etc. in the warm season. in the forest, garden or park.

Why does the praying mantis refuse food?

It is normal for a praying mantis to lose its appetite before molting. After the end of molting, he may also starve for some time. The praying mantis may refuse food even if the offered insect is too large for it.

Does the praying mantis bite?

Praying mantises are not poisonous and do not pose any danger to humans. In very rare cases, a large mantis may mistake your fingers for prey, grab them, and bite them.

How to determine the sex of a praying mantis?

It is easy to determine the sex of an adult mantis: on the inner part of the abdomen, the female has 6 lobes, and the male has 8. Another sign by which one can distinguish a male from a female mantis is the presence of feathery antennae in the male. In addition, the female praying mantis is usually larger and thicker than the male. Difficulties may arise when determining the sex of young individuals.

In contact with

Female praying mantises have a habit of killing and eating their partners during mating. For what? Exciting new research shows this sacrifice gives males a distinct reproductive advantage.

Cannibalism among praying mantises is well documented, and scientists debate the reasons for this phenomenon. New research shows that females who eat their partners after mating produce more eggs than those who don't. Moreover, by eating the male, the widow ensures that he will provide food for the offspring after death.

About 25 percent of all collisions result in the death of the male.

The female praying mantis usually starts by biting off her partner's head.

Incredibly, this is 63 percent. Scientists have suggested that she manages to stock up on food at a critical moment in her reproductive life. life cycle, but the fact remains unproven.

To be sure, the researchers inserted traceable radioactive amino acids into crickets that were eaten by the males. Each of them then mated with a female praying mantis. Half of them were saved from their mistress's duplicity, and the other half... well, you know what happened to the other half. The researchers then began the task of studying each female's reproductive success.

Study

By following the flow of radioactive proteins through their bodies, scientists tracked the contribution of a recently eaten male. Males that were eaten passed on almost 90 percent of their labeled amino acids; those that survived passed on about 25 percent, delivered via ejaculate.

A significant part of the amino acids was transferred to the babies, which means that they are not completely metabolized by the female. It turns out that in addition to ejaculate, body tissue is used to produce eggs. After death, the praying mantis provides food for its descendants.

Female mantises that ate mates produced more eggs than those that did not. On average, cannibals produced about 88 eggs, those who did not eat partners - about 37. This a big difference, which gives eaten males an excellent reproductive advantage.

Stories related to the praying mantis are mythical legends and riddles. Many people still don’t really know what the praying mantis eats. After all, there are rumors about the incredible cruelty and aggressiveness of these creatures. I wonder if they really eat each other? It's time to figure out what the mantis beetle actually eats.

The insect belongs to the order of cockroaches. It has impressive dimensions, and the female is twice as large as the male - her body reaches 50-75 mm, while the height of the male is only 40-50 mm. To understand what a praying mantis eats, just look at the structure of its body. The insect has massive, well-developed forelimbs with sharp spines. Grasping legs are needed for hunting, and sharp spines, like knives, pierce the prey. The hind legs are used for locomotion. This leads to the conclusion that praying mantises eat far from plant foods. These are real predators who stalk their prey from ambush.

You can meet the common praying mantis in the tropics and subtropics. In Russia it is widespread in and in Crimea, there are species that inhabit Far East and southern Siberia. In their usual habitat: on tree branches and in the grass, mantises are well camouflaged. They blend in with the green foliage and take off when necessary. Females and males have equally developed wings. But they rarely fly. Tree mantises may not leave their entire lives favorite place. The main condition is that there is always food. The fact is that the praying mantis eats mainly small insects that are half the size of itself. At the same time, the diet of females and males is no different. At the same time, rumors about the female’s gluttony during

I pairings are confirmed.

There are several hypotheses to explain why mating ends with the partner's head being ripped off. One version is that the female is simply hungry and aggressive, which is why she eats her partner.

But there is a more original hypothesis, which is based on the fact that the female’s hunger has nothing to do with it. Some males, having reached their chosen one, jump on their backs and begin mating, but they are not able to complete it due to inhibitory impulses coming from the head. For this reason, the female simply tears off her partner's head, as a result of which the male finally impregnates his cruel partner.

In all likelihood, this fact makes many people think that cannibalism is common among praying mantises. This is partly true, although the answer to the question of what a praying mantis eats is quite banal. Food for these cockroaches is any living organism that is not larger in size. In terrariums this can even be meat and small lizards. Too much big catch The mantis is afraid, so it doesn’t hunt her.

To catch up with its prey, it can chase it for a long time, try to jump from behind and grab it by the head. It also begins to eat caught prey from the head. Adults are very voracious - at one time a male can eat 7-8 cockroaches 1 cm long. The hungrier the mantis, the more aggressive it will behave and react to every movement. Once full, the insects become lethargic and stop hunting for a while.

The praying mantis is an arthropod insect that belongs to the order of praying mantises (lat. Mantodea, Mantoptera).

The origin of the international name "Mantodea" is not known with certainty. This detachment received its Russian definition due to some similarity between the insect's forelimbs and human arms bent at the elbow joint. In this position, the praying mantis is in ambush and waits for prey, shaking its head from time to time. Because of this behavioral feature, as well as due to associative perception, the insect, which resembles a person who reads a prayer, got its name.

Taken from the site: artfile.me

Mantis - description, structure, characteristics. What does a praying mantis look like?

Almost all praying mantises have an elongated body with a characteristic structure that distinguishes them from others arthropod insects. The movable head of the praying mantis has an almost triangular shape and is capable of rotating almost around its axis. Thanks to this, the insect can notice an enemy approaching from behind.

The convex large compound eyes of the mantis have a complex structure and are located far from each other along the lateral edges of the head.

In addition to them, the insect has 3 simple eyes, which are located above the base of the antennae.

The antennae of the praying mantis consist of numerous segments and, depending on the species of the insect, are filamentous, feathery or comb-like.

The mouthparts of mantises are of the gnawing type and are directed downward.

A characteristic feature of insects of this order is that the pronotum, widened in the upper part, almost never overlaps the head.

The soft, slightly flattened abdomen consists of 10 segments.

The last segment of the abdomen ends with long paired appendages of numerous segments, cerci, which are organs of smell.

In males, the cerci are better developed than in females.

Cerci and ovipositor of a female praying mantis Stagmomantis carolina. Photo credit: Kaldari, Public Domain

Almost all species of mantises have well-developed front and rear pairs of wings, thanks to which the insect can fly. It is noteworthy that the narrow and dense wings of the front pair serve as a kind of elytra that protect the hind wings. The rear pair of wings is wide, has many membranes and is folded like a fan.

Often the wings of a praying mantis are brightly colored or have a specific pattern on them. But there are also varieties of mantises that are completely devoid of wings and, in their own way, appearance resembling larvae. This, for example, is the earthen mantis (lat. Geomantis larvoides).

In the thoracic region of these insects, the front pair of limbs is especially well developed. Each of them consists of an elongated coxa, a trochanter, a femur, which is slightly longer in size than the coxa, a tibia, and a tarsus, consisting of 5 segments.

In its lower part, the thigh is studded with large sharp spines arranged in 3 rows, the drumstick also has spines, albeit smaller ones, and at the end of the drumstick there is a sharp needle-shaped hook. The last segments of the tarsi end in two rather large claws.

Along the entire length of the thigh there is a groove into which the shin is inserted, like the blade of a folding knife that retracts into the handle. Mantises capture their prey and hold it between the thigh and lower leg until the process of eating food is completed.

The middle and hind pairs of legs have a structure typical of arthropods.

Forelimbs of the praying mantis Otomantis scutigera. Photo credit: Bernard DUPONT, CC BY-SA 2.0

The circulatory system of mantises is quite primitively developed, which is a consequence of the way they breathe. The body is supplied with oxygen thanks to a complex branched system of tracheas, which are connected to spiracles (stigmas) lying on several segments of the abdomen, as well as located on the middle and posterior parts of the body. Expansions (air sacs) can form in the trachea, which increase ventilation of the entire respiratory system.

Sexual differences in mantises are quite pronounced and manifest themselves in the size of individuals: females are always much larger than males.

On the left is a female, on the right is a male common mantis. Left photo credit: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0. Photo on right: Nicolas Weghaupt, Public domain

Some mantises can reach a length of 17 cm, for example the species Ischnomantis gigas, which lives in Africa, or Heterochaeta orientalis, which is also called the oriental heterochaete and reaches a size of 16 cm.

Other mantises are very small in size and grow no more than 0.5-1.5 cm in length - such, for example, are the tiny mantises.

The body color of the praying mantis depends on the environment, as it is camouflage in nature.

There are mantises that look like green leaves, flowers or sticks, while other species imitate tree bark, lichens, or even the black color of ashes after a fire.

The species Gonatista grisea is almost impossible to distinguish from the whitish growths on the tree. Photo by: Yaroslav Kuznetsov, CC BY-SA 4.0

Deroplatys lobata is very similar to the brown leaf. Photo credit: Fritz Geller-Grimm, CC BY-SA 3.0

Choeradodis rhombicollis resembles a green tree leaf. Photo by: Benjamint444, GFDL 1.2

Humbertiella sp. disguised as tree bark. Photo credit: L. Shyamal, CC BY-SA 3.0

It is unlikely that you will notice the praying mantis Pogonogaster tristani against a background of green moss. Photo credit: Leonardo Miranda Di Giambattista, CC BY-SA 3.0

Most praying mantises are green, yellow or brown tones, although there are species with brighter and more contrasting colors.

It is noteworthy that the colors of individuals of the same species can vary quite greatly, and also change after each molt.

Metallyticus splendidus shimmers in different colors and has a metallic sheen in color. Photo by: 김준석

Enemies of Mantises

When attacked by an enemy (bird, or) or when meeting with a fellow rival, the mantises try to scare the enemy. They take a rather intimidating pose, spreading their wings like a fan, putting their front grasping legs forward and lifting the end of their abdomen up. This pose can be accompanied by threatening sounds. For example, the Sarawak mantis (lat. Hestiasula sarawaka) rustles its wings loudly and makes a clicking noise created by the contact of the upper part of the forelimb with the thigh. If the enemy turns out to be much stronger, the mantis prefers to retreat and flies away, however, seeing its advantage, it bravely confronts the enemy and often emerges victorious in such a fight.

Lifespan of praying mantises

The lifespan of a praying mantis depends on the species and ranges from 2 to 11 months. In captivity, some species can live up to 1.5 years.

Where does the praying mantis live?

The distribution area of ​​mantises is quite wide and covers almost all countries of Asia, South and Central Europe, as well as some countries in Africa and South America. It includes Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Malta, Syria, India, China and Iran. Populations are found in Yemen and Turkey, Malaysia and Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Israel. Some mantises live in Russia, Belarus, Tatarstan, Poland, and Germany. On merchant ships, these insects were brought and took root in Australia and North America.

In tropical and subtropical conditions, mantises live not only in wet forests, where they settle in the branches of trees or shrubs, but also in sun-warmed rocky deserts. In Europe, these insects are common in steppe regions, as well as in spacious meadows.

Praying mantises rarely change their habitat, and if potential food is present around them in sufficient quantities, they will never leave the selected plant or individual branch. Active movements are resorted to during the mating period, when there is a lack of food supply in the habitat or, in rare cases, during an attack natural enemies: birds, chameleons, snakes or larger relatives. Almost all species of mantises are diurnal. active image life.

What does a praying mantis eat?

The praying mantis is a predator and its diet usually consists of other small and large insects. Representatives of this detachment are not averse to feasting on the gape, or. Large individuals can attack and eat small amphibians (geckos), small birds and even small rodents.

These predators attack their victims from ambush. They grab prey with their forelimbs and hold it until they completely eat it. Powerful jaws and structure oral apparatus allow these insects to chew even large prey into pieces.

Types of mantises, photos and names

There are more than 2,000 species of praying mantises. Below is a description of several varieties.

• Common praying mantis ( Mantis religiosa)

Lives in most countries of Europe, Asia and Africa. Its distribution area includes Portugal and Spain, Italy and France, Turkey, Germany, Austria and Poland, as well as numerous islands Mediterranean Sea. This species is found in Sudan and Egypt, in Israel and Iran, as well as in Russia, starting from southern regions and ending with the Primorsky Territory. Introduced populations have been recorded in Australia and North America. Common mantis is a rather large insect, the size of which reaches 4.8-7.6 cm in females and 4.0-6.1 cm in males. Individuals are colored green or brown with a yellow tint. The transparent wings of the praying mantis, trimmed with green or brown edging, are well developed. The rather long abdomen is ovoid in shape. Distinctive feature This species is a black spot, which is located on both coxae of the front pair of legs on the inside. Often a light mark is visible in the center of such a spot.

• Chinese mantis (Chinese bowing mantis) ( Tenodera aridifolia, Tenodera sinensis)

It is an endemic species that is naturally distributed throughout China. Adult female praying mantises reach 15 cm in length; males are much more modest in size. The color of these insects does not depend on gender and can be green or brown. Nymphs and juveniles lack wings. Chinese mantises acquire the ability to fly only after several molts. Tenodera sinensis exhibits vital activity at night. Life expectancy is 5-6 months.

• Creob roter meleagris

Widely distributed in Bhutan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos, Pakistan and other countries in the South Asian region. Adults can reach 5 centimeters in length. The main body color of the praying mantis is cream or white. Light-colored stripes of varying widths run throughout the body, head and paws. Brown. The elytra and pronotum are colored olive-green. On the elytra there is one small and one large spot of white or cream color. The larger spot has the shape of an ellipse, which is outlined in black at the top and bottom.

Taken from: www.nhm.ac.uk

• Creobroter gemmatus, which is also called Indian flower mantis

Is a typical inhabitant rain forests India, Vietnam and other South Asian countries. Mature males of this species of mantis reach a length of 38 mm, females are larger and grow up to 40 mm. The body of the insect is elongated, and the width of the pronotum is noticeably less than its length. There are several spikes of different heights on the hips. The body is colored cream with brown or greenish spots. Both pairs of wings are well developed, and on the upper pair, which acts as elytra, there is a large bright spot that resembles an eye with two pupils and serves to scare away predators. The wings of males are longer than those of females. Due to the fact that the lower wings of the mantis, colored pink and brown at the base, have numerous membranes, the impression of a bizarre scaly pattern is created. The insect lives in plant flowers, where it waits for prey during the day.

• Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii

Lives in areas with hot and humid climates. Other unofficial names for this insect are spiky or spiny flower mantis. This species lives in the countries of southern and eastern Africa: Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Zanzibar, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, as well as Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion. The size of adults is quite modest. The length of females does not exceed 40 mm, and males – 30 mm. The coloring of these mantises is heterogeneous - it combines white, cream, pinkish, yellow and green tones. On the upper pair of wings there is a rather interesting pattern, reminiscent of a green eye or a small spiral. It is noteworthy that the curls of these spirals on the right and left wings are directed towards each other. These insects have spines not only on the surface of the forelimbs, but also on the abdomen - hence the name of this mantis.

Taken from the site: media1.webgarden.cz

• Orchid mantis ( Hymenopus coronatus)

Distributed in the tropical forests of India, Malaysia and Indonesia. This insect is considered one of the most beautiful representatives of the order. It received its name for its external resemblance to the flowers on which it hides in anticipation of its prey. A sexually mature female praying mantis has quite impressive dimensions and grows up to 80 mm in length. The size of males is much more modest and does not exceed 40 mm. Distinctive feature this species has wide forelimbs, head small size and filamentous antennae. The main body color of orchid mantises is white. However, it may vary depending on which flower the insect is lying in ambush. May be mixed with the main tone various shades pink, orange, yellow, lilac or purple. This type of mantis is characterized by increased aggressiveness. They can attack prey that is twice the size of the hunter. By the way, the larvae of the orchid mantis have a very unusual red and black coloring, which scares potential enemies away from them.

• Idolomantis diabolica , which is also called Damn flower or Devil's flower

Lives in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and other countries East Africa, where it lives on the branches of bushes and trees. Adult mantises of this species are quite large in size. Females can reach a length of 14 cm with a wingspan of about 16 cm. Male mantises are slightly smaller in size fewer females and rarely exceed 11 cm in length. The color of these insects can vary from various shades of green to light brown. The spines located on the thighs of the front legs have different lengths. Three shorter ones are visible between the long spines. A distinctive feature of this species is the characteristic leaf-shaped appendages formed by expanded cuticles, which are located on the back, as well as on the middle and hind limbs. In addition, unlike other species, in Idolomantis diabolica the top of the head tapers into a cone shape. Praying mantises of this species are often kept in home terrariums.

Taken from the site: archiwum.allegro.pl

• Heterochaete eastern ( Heterochaeta orientalis), which also has an unofficial name spike-eyed mantis

Found in most African countries. The female mantis reaches 15 cm in length. Males are smaller in size and grow up to 12 cm. Due to the fact that these insects live in the branches of bushes, their appearance has unusual features that make them resemble twigs or twigs. In addition, these African mantises have spines located not only on the thighs and shins of the forelimbs, but also along the upper edges of the head, which is shaped like a triangle. This gives the impression that the insect's eyes are wrapped around these spines. This structure of the visual organs, combined with a long “neck” located between the head and prothorax, allows mantises of this species to easily notice prey or enemies not only in front and to the side, but also from behind. It is noteworthy that the insect’s body at this moment can remain completely motionless. The coloring of individuals depends on their age. If in the larval stage they are characterized by shades of brown, then the imago is characterized by light green shades.

Taken from the website: www.deine-tierwelt.de

• Empusa pennata

A species from the genus empusa, which is distributed throughout almost the entire territory of Africa, in most Asian countries, as well as in Portugal, Spain and Andorra, Monaco, Italy, Greece, Malta and Cyprus. Adult male praying mantises are slightly smaller than females, which grow up to 10 cm in length. A distinctive feature of the praying mantis is a peculiar high growth on its head, resembling a kind of crown in shape. Males have comb-type antennae, and the head is crowned with additional spines that look like feathers. The color of the praying mantis depends on the environment and can change. These insects are characterized by green, yellow or pink colors, as well as various shades of brown.

• Phyllocrania paradoxa

Lives in fairly dry areas of Africa, located south of the desert Sahara, as well as on the island of Madagascar, where it lives in the branches of bushes and trees. Thanks to its peculiar body shape, reminiscent of a plant leaf, it can easily hide from natural enemies and successfully hunt small insects. This camouflage is provided by special outgrowths on the body and head of the mantis. Moreover, the processes on the male’s head are rather curved and slightly thinner than those of the females. The adults of this species are quite small in size. Females grow to a maximum of 5 cm, males are smaller. Protective coloring varies depending on air humidity and temperature. If the air temperature is low and the humidity is high, the insects are green or gray-green in color. When humidity levels drop and temperatures rise, mantises turn brown or dark brown in color.

• Metallyticus splendidus

Lives in India, Malaysia, Sumatra and other countries South-East Asia. Hunts prey in the branches of trees or bushes, as well as under tree bark. Mature male mantises can reach a length of about 2 cm. Females are slightly larger and grow up to 3 cm in length. The body of these insects is slightly flattened from the back to the abdomen. Sexual dimorphism is expressed not only in size, but also in the color of individuals. Males are characterized by blue-green shades with a pronounced metallic tint blue color. In females, the body is colored green with shiny bronze wing covers.

• Ameles spallanziania

Widely distributed in Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Portugal, Spain, Italy, San Marino, Greece. The habitat of this species also includes Cyprus, Malta and other countries Southern Europe And North Africa. The size of these insects is quite modest, with the length of males rarely exceeding 1 cm, and females can reach a length of 3 cm. You can also distinguish a male from a female by the presence of wings. If in males they are well developed and allow him to make fairly long flights, then in females this organ is reduced, so they are deprived of the ability to move through the air. The eyes of the praying mantis are conical in shape. The color of insects is variable and can vary from bright shades of green to brown and gray-brown. Unlike other species, these mantises have a short but strong hind limb.

• Blepharopsis mendica , which also has an unofficial name thistle mantis

Found in Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen and other countries in North Africa and southwestern Asia. These insects live in desert as well as mountainous areas. Males are slightly smaller in size than females, which can reach a length of 5.2-6.1 cm. In addition, the antennae of males have a comb structure. Distinctive feature The species also has a characteristic growth on the top of the head. There are many spines of different sizes on the lateral surface of the thigh and lower leg. The color of individuals can be greenish or brownish with numerous white spots that merge into bizarre patterns.

• Rhombodera basalis

Lives in tropical zone Malaysia, Thailand and India. Adult females can grow up to 8-9 cm in length, males are slightly smaller. A characteristic feature of the praying mantis is its slightly enlarged pronotum, resembling a diamond shape. The body and wing covers of the insect are colored turquoise-green with a blue tint. The rear pair of membranous wings are partially colored in bright pink tones.

• Malaysian leaf mantis ( Deroplatys dessicata)

Widely distributed both in the tropical forests of Malaysia or Indonesia, and in wet thickets in Sumatra and Borneo. Female Malaysian leaf mantises are much larger in size than males. Their length can reach 15 cm, while males grow to a maximum of 6 cm. This species has good camouflage abilities due to the special shape of the head and body, which give it a resemblance to withered foliage. Therefore, the color of the insect has a rather narrow color palette, including all shades of brown.

• Deroplatys lobata

It lives in the rainforests of Malaysia, as well as in tropical thickets on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Prefers to hunt in the foliage of trees or small shrubs, as well as in their upturned roots. In appearance, these insects strongly resemble withered leaves, which serves them not only as an excellent camouflage that protects them from enemies, but also helps them hide and wait for prey. The color of the body and legs is uniform and can be different shades of gray or brown. Adult females grow up to 8 cm in length, while males barely reach 5 cm. Unlike females, males have developed wings, so they can fly, but females have lost this ability due to reduced wings.

• Aethalochroa insignis

Lives in India. This is a very large insect, 15-20 cm long, including antennae. The praying mantis' excellent camouflage makes it look like a dry blade of grass.