Why is the praying mantis so called. Mantis insect. Mantis lifestyle and habitat. Mantis is a typical predator

18.10.2019

Well, first of all, why "praying mantis"? The name is rather 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 noticed the praying mantis, he exclaimed: “Tja, det ser ut som på mantis, för fan!”, Which in Swedish means “Well, it looks like a praying mantis, fuck!”.

If you look at the 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 the official judgments about the praying mantis, they are as follows. Praying mantises are not just a type of insect, but a whole 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 he rarely uses them, I'll tell you why later. Females, for example, use wings only in exceptional cases. Up to a certain point, scientists even believed that the wings of the female were necessary only for intimidation. Then, after observing, they nevertheless realized that the female can fly. True, they still do not understand why praying mantises fly.

Well, not so much later. Actually, I wanted to reveal all the praying mantis cards at the end, but I can't wait to tell you about the origin of the praying mantis now. Official scientific judgments 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 an unofficial version of the 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 into the face of the praying mantis for a couple of minutes.

Here, watch two minutes, try to understand.

See? I am sure that you also understood the whole truth, namely that the praying mantis is a creature not earthly origin. It only looks like an insect, but if you look at it more closely, then a version of an alien origin immediately comes to mind.

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

Again, let's take color. I already said that it varies, but I didn't say how much. It varies so much that it is impossible to say for sure what color the praying mantis is. Of course, we are used to thinking that the praying mantis is green. This is true, but the praying mantis is only green when it sees in the leaves. Since scientists, in their own ignorance, continue to look for praying mantises only on leaves, they do not even know about the ability of the praying mantis to choose any color they like.

How about this coloring?

Look around you and remember that praying mantises are everywhere. They camouflage themselves so that we can't see them, but that doesn't mean they're not there, right? Look carefully, perhaps the praying mantis hid among your office papers or sits right on your brand new iPhone. Or maybe he hid in a room flower.

Don't forget to check out the shed.

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, peacefully eat grass. Then comes the young bull, moo-moo, all that. Here he climbs his love, here is sex. And then! The cow turns around and eats the whole bull! One, one, and done. And then continues to peacefully eat grass.

If that's not enough for you, then I'll continue. Not only do females eat males after sex. This can be understood: vitamins, nutrients necessary for the development of a pilgrim... But how to understand the fact that before sex, the female bites off the head of the male? Before sex, not after. Imagine a herd of cows. However, it is not necessary, you have no idea. A bull without a head on a cow ... True, you should not even think about it.

In fact, the female does not always bite off the head and does not always eat the male. That is, it is an optional condition. And this only adds new questions like "What's the point then?!". Scientists hush up 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 this way:
“I will tell more below how the praying mantis devours its victims, but I must say that this drama, played out in the mysterious, outwardly serene canopy of the hedge, was for me the first meeting with the Inexorable. Thus I came to know the terrible law of power to which the world obeys.

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

Scholars 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 biting off is not so new in nature. Even people 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: their data confirm the material of individual imagination. First of all, in the North Asian and North American regions, myths are widespread about women with a toothy vagina who kill, by cutting off the penis, those who dare to have sexual intercourse with them.

Friends, I will take a short break, and then I will continue. Devouring praying mantis females do not let me just pick up and continue my story.

Of course, there will be skeptics who will say “oh well! Common insect! But not everything is so simple. Remember the Kung Fu Panda cartoon? So, among the kungfu masters there, along with the tiger and the monkey, there was a praying mantis. An unheard-of honor for a small insect, don't you think?

The fact is that the Chinese were among the first to understand that something was wrong with the praying mantis. Just in case, they began to extol him. They not only drew the praying mantis, it's not so 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 Praying Mantis", "Seven-Star Praying Mantis", "Six Coordination Praying Mantis Box" and other equally funny names.

We must pay tribute to the Chinese, who understood the true nature of the praying mantis.

Praying mantises have wings, but they rarely use them. They do not need them for hunting, praying mantises have other methods of this hunt. 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 praying mantises.

Perhaps a clue 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're off the branch
And they will take us with you
Under tight wings.

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

So, in Africa, there is still a cult of the praying mantis, who is considered the god and founder of the worlds. In Europe, they also turned to him Special attention. The relation to the praying mantis is ambiguous, in some cultures it is extolled, in others it is considered a demonic creature.

Perhaps the praying mantis earned such attention with his ability to look. Mantis, perhaps single insect, which has the ability to move the head in the direction of 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.

More interesting fact. The praying mantis perfectly manages without a head, it can even have sex. But that is not all. Not only can he walk and balance without his head, but without his 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 their appearance, prompted one African tribe to the creation of the myth of how the praying mantis turned into a dead antelope. The hunters found it and prepared to cut it with stone knives. But even then the praying mantis remained motionless. Then, they began to cut off pieces from the antelope. And only after that, 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 up (well, you know how he can do it), grab and eat children.

Such is the mythical African horror.

At first glance, the praying mantis is an absolutely harmless insect. Fragile, thin, imperceptible in the grass and on the branches of trees. But not what it seems. First of all, it is almost clear to everyone that he was named so because of the prayerfully folded front legs. It can sit in its posture for hours, but don't be fooled, the mantis insect is a formidable predator. He attacks victims much larger than himself. Mantis fights with large spiders and even with snakes are known! Involuntarily, you will wonder if people made a mistake with the name?

Compared with relatives, this is a rather large representative of its class. Individual individuals can reach 76 millimeters in length and even more. Females are usually larger than males. If the size is the same, then it is rather difficult to determine the sex of individuals before adulthood.

They mimic beautifully. There are species that are very similar to flowers, others can easily get lost in the leaves, and all with one goal - to lie in wait for a suitable victim! They are completely harmless to humans. The only way a praying mantis insect can harm a human is to scratch a finger with the jagged edges of its front paws if handled carelessly.

People who see them for the first time simply do not believe at first that this is a creature of earthly origin. His appearance and his whole alien appearance are very unusual. And, of course, it is very difficult to realize that this is a formidable predator. It is not always possible to clearly distinguish the appearance of such a small creature as a praying mantis. An insect (its photo can bewitch anyone) seems to be dancing a strange ritual dance.

Some people even keep them at home as they are not too difficult to care for. The insect will need to change housing several times. At first, a package of yogurt is fine, but later you will have to find a bigger "apartment" for him. Throughout life, the mantis insect sheds its skin, increasing in size.

We must not forget to feed him on time, and also in his dwelling there should always be branches on which he can hang, this is especially important during periods of molting. But he does not need to drink - it is only necessary to provide sufficient humidity.

If it is decided to breed individuals of different sexes, then, firstly, it is necessary to prepare a voluminous cage, and secondly, a sufficient amount of food. Otherwise, the larger female may eat the male after mating. It can happen immediately, as soon as the individuals are together or within a few days. After the end of the mating period, the male must be resettled again.

In due time, the female lays from 30 to 300 eggs, from which new individuals hatch in a few months. To prevent cannibalism among newborns, you need to put them in a large container with large quantity hidden corners and live food. After the second or third molt, they all need to be seated.

The praying mantis insect, unlike most of its counterparts, has a number of unique skills. In addition to excellent mimicry abilities, he can turn his head almost 180 degrees in different directions and even look over his shoulder. By the way, females, unlike males, cannot fly, although representatives of both sexes have wings. They are just too heavy to fly.

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

The origin of the international name "Mantodea" is not known for certain. Russian definition this detachment received due to some similarity of the forelimbs of an insect with human hands, 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 feature of behavior, as well as due to associative perception, an insect resembling a person who reads a prayer got its name.

Taken from: artfile.me

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

Almost all praying mantises have an elongated body characteristic structure which distinguishes them from other arthropods. The movable praying mantis head has an almost triangular shape and is able to rotate almost around its axis. Thanks to this, the insect can notice the enemy approaching from behind.

The convex large compound eyes of the praying 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 that 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 filiform, feathery or comb-like.

The mouth apparatus of praying mantises is of the gnawing type and is directed downwards.

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

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 the organs of smell.

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

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

In almost all species of mantis, both the front and rear pair of wings are well developed, 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, praying mantis wings are brightly colored or have a specific pattern on them. But there are also varieties of praying mantis, completely devoid of wings and in their own way appearance resembling larvae. Such, for example, is the earth mantis (lat. Geomantis larvoides).

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

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

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

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

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

The circulatory system of praying mantises is rather primitively developed, which is a consequence of the way they breathe. The body is supplied with oxygen through a complex branched system of tracheae, 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 praying mantises are quite pronounced and are manifested 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 praying mantis. Left photo author: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0. Right photo credit: Nicolas Weghaupt, Public domain

Some praying mantises can reach a length of 17 cm, such as 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 praying mantises are very small in size and grow no more than 0.5-1.5 cm in length - such, for example, are crumb praying mantises.

The body color of the praying mantis depends on environment because it is camouflage.

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

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

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

The species Choeradodis rhombicollis resembles a green leaf of a tree. 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 Pogonogaster tristani praying mantis against the background of green moss. Photo by: Leonardo Miranda Di Giambattista, CC BY-SA 3.0

Most praying mantises are green, yellow or brown, 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 a lot, and also change after each molt.

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

Mantid Enemies

When attacked by an enemy (, birds, or) or having met with a rival relative, the praying mantises try to scare the enemy. They take a rather frightening pose, spreading their wings like a fan, pushing forward grasping paws and lifting up the end of their abdomen. This posture can be complemented by threatening sounds. For example, the Sarawak praying mantis (lat. Hestiasula sarawaka) rustles its wings loudly and makes a clicking sound created by the contact of the upper part of the forelimb with the thigh. If the enemy turns out to be much stronger, the praying mantis prefers to retreat and flies away, however, seeing his advantage, he bravely confronts the enemy and often turns out to be the winner in such a fight.

Mantis lifespan

The life expectancy 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 praying mantises is quite wide and captures almost all countries of Asia, South and Central Europe as well as some African countries, South America. It includes Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Malta, Syria, India, China and Iran. Populations are noted in Yemen and Turkey, Malaysia and Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Israel. Some mantises live on the territory of Russia, in Belarus, Tatarstan, Poland, Germany. On the merchant ships these insects were introduced and settled down in Australia and in North America.

In the conditions of the tropics and subtropics, praying mantises live not only in humid forests, where they settle in the branches of trees or shrubs, but also in rocky deserts warmed by the sun. In Europe, these insects are common in the 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, then 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, when attacked. natural enemies: birds, chameleons, snakes or relatives of a larger size. Almost all species of praying mantis lead a diurnal active lifestyle.

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 gaping, or. Large individuals can attack and eat small amphibians (, geckos), medium-sized birds and even small rodents.

These predators ambush their prey. They grab prey with their forelimbs and hold it until they have completely eaten it. Powerful jaws and structure oral apparatus allow these insects to gnaw into pieces even large prey.

Types of praying mantises, photos and names

In total there are more than 2000 species of praying mantis. Below is a description of several varieties.

common praying mantis ( Mantis religiosa)

It 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 on the territory of Sudan and Egypt, in Israel and Iran, as well as in Russia, ranging from southern regions and ending with Primorsky Krai. Introduced populations have been noted in Australia and North America. The common praying 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. Transparent praying mantis wings, trimmed with green or brown edging, are well developed. The rather long abdomen is egg-shaped. hallmark of this species is a black spot, which is located on both coxae of the front pair of legs with inside. Often a light mark is visible in the center of such a spot.

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

Is an endemic species, which in vivo distributed throughout China. Adult female praying mantis reach 15 cm in length, the size of males is much more modest. The color of these insects does not depend on gender and is green or brown. Nymphs and juveniles lack wings. Chinese praying mantises acquire the ability to fly only after several molts. Tenodera sinensis shows 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. Throughout the body, head and paws there are strips of light-colored stripes of different widths. Brown. The elytra and pronotum are olive green. On the elytra there are one small and one large speck of white or cream color. The larger spot has the shape of an ellipse, which is outlined in black above and below.

Taken from: www.nhm.ac.uk

Creobroter gemmatus, which is also called Indian flower mantis

Is a typical inhabitant moist forests India, Vietnam and other South Asian countries. Sexually mature males of this species of praying 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 on the thighs different heights. The body is cream colored with brown or greenish spots. Both pairs of wings are well developed, and on the upper pair, which plays the role of elytra, there is a large bright spot resembling an eye with two pupils and serving to scare away predators. The wings of males are longer than those of females. Due to the fact that the lower wings of the praying mantis, painted at the base in pink and brown, have numerous membranes, the impression of a bizarre scaly pattern is created. The insect lives in the flowers of plants, where it waits for prey in the daytime.

Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii

Lives in hot and humid climate. Other informal names for this insect are - spiny 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 color of these praying mantises is heterogeneous - it combines white, cream, pinkish, yellow and green tones. On the upper pair of wings there is a rather interesting pattern resembling 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 praying mantis.

Taken from: media1.webgarden.cz

Orchid Mantis ( Hymenopus coronatus)

Distributed in tropical forests India, Malaysia and Indonesia. This insect is considered one of the most beautiful representatives of the detachment. It got its name from resemblance with flowers on which he hides in anticipation of his prey. A sexually mature female praying mantis has a rather impressive size and grows up to 80 mm in length. The size of males is much more modest and does not exceed 40 mm. Distinctive feature of this species are broad forelimbs, a small head and filiform antennae. The main color of the body of orchid praying mantises is white. However, it may vary depending on which flower the insect sits in ambush. Various shades of pink, orange, yellow, lilac or purple. This type of praying mantis is characterized by increased aggressiveness. They can attack prey that is twice the size of the hunter. Incidentally, the larvae orchid mantis have a very unusual red and black color, which scares away potential enemies from them.

idolomantis diabolica , which is also called Devil's flower or devil flower

Lives in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and other countries East Africa where it lives on the branches of shrubs and trees. Adult praying mantises of this species are quite large. Females can reach a length of 14 cm with a wingspan of about 16 cm. Male mantises are slightly smaller in size than females and rarely exceed 11 cm in length. The color of these insects can vary from various shades of green to light brown. The spikes located on the thighs of the front legs are of different lengths. Three shorter ones are visible between the long spines. A distinctive feature of this species is the characteristic leaf-like 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. Praying mantises of this species are very often kept in home terrariums.

Taken from: archiwum.allegro.pl

Eastern heterochaete ( Heterochaeta orientalis), which also has the unofficial name spiky-eyed mantis

Found in most African countries. The female praying mantis reaches 15 cm in length. Males are smaller and grow up to 12 cm. Due to the fact that these insects live in the branches of shrubs, their appearance has unusual features that make them look like knots or twigs. In addition, in these African praying mantises, the spikes are located not only on the thighs and shins of the forelimbs, but also along the upper edges of the head, which has the shape of a triangle. This gives the impression that the eyes of the insect are wrapped around these spines. Such a structure of the organs of vision, combined with a long “neck” located between the head and prothorax, makes it possible for praying mantises of this species to easily notice prey or enemies not only in front and side, but also behind. It is noteworthy, but the body of the insect at this moment can remain completely motionless. The coloration of individuals depends on their age. If in the larval stage they are characterized by shades of brown, then light green shades are inherent in adults.

Taken from: 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 mantis are slightly smaller than females, which grow up to 10 cm in length. A distinctive feature of the praying mantis is a peculiar high outgrowth on the head, resembling a kind of crown in shape. Males have comb-type antennae, and additional spikes that look like feathers crown the head. The color of the praying mantis depends on the environment and may vary. These insects are characterized by green, yellow or pink colors and various shades of brown.

Phyllocrania paradoxa

Lives in rather arid regions of Africa, located south of the desert Sahara, as well as on the island of Madagascar, where it lives in the branches of shrubs and trees. Due to the peculiar shape of the body, reminiscent of a plant leaf, he easily manages to hide from natural enemies and successfully hunt small insects. This disguise is provided by special outgrowths on the body and head of the praying mantis. Moreover, the processes on the head of the male are rather curved and slightly thinner than those of females. Imagoes of this species are rather small in size. Females grow up to a maximum of 5 cm, males are smaller. Protective color 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, praying mantises turn brown or dark brown.

metallyticus splendidus

Lives in India, Malaysia, Sumatra and other countries South-East Asia. Hunts prey in the branches of trees or shrubs, as well as under tree bark. Sexually mature male praying mantis 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 in the direction 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 overflow. blue color. In females, the body is painted in green tones with bronze shiny elytra.

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 sizes of these insects are rather modest, and the length of males rarely exceeds 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 rather 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 changeable and can vary from bright shades of green to brown and gray-brown. Unlike other species, these mantises have a short but strong hind pair of limbs.

Blepharopsis mendica , which also has the unofficial name thistle mantis

It is found in Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen and other countries of North Africa and southwestern Asia. These insects live in desert as well as mountainous regions. 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. A distinctive feature of the species is also a characteristic outgrowth on the top of the head. On the lateral surface of the thigh and lower leg there are many spikes different sizes. The color of individuals can be greenish or brownish with numerous white spots that merge into bizarre patterns.

Rhombodera basalis

Dwells 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 a slightly enlarged pronotum, resembling a rhombus in shape. The body and elytra of the insect are painted in turquoise-green colors with a blue tint. The hind pair of membranous wings are partly painted in bright pink tones.

Malaysian leaf mantis ( Deroplatys dessicata)

It is widely distributed both in the tropical forests of Malaysia or Indonesia, and in wet thickets in Sumatra and Borneo. Females of the Malaysian leaf-shaped praying mantis are much larger than males. Their length can reach 15 cm, while males grow up 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, which includes all shades of brown.

Deroplatys lobata

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

Aethalochroa insignis

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

mantis insect many scientists and researchers in the recent past attributed to the same family due to a number of similar elements in the structure of the wings and body.

However, to date, official science has refuted this conjecture and these insects are classified as separate species, which has its own specific features and habits.

The detachment was named so - "praying mantis", and at the moment about two and a half thousand varieties belong to it.

About praying mantis it can be unequivocally said that a rare other insect is able to compete with it in terms of the number of references in the mythologies of various peoples of the world.

For example, among the ancient Chinese, the praying mantis was associated with stubbornness and greed, among the Greeks it was believed that he had the ability to predict the weather and was the herald of spring.

The Bushmen were sure that the image of the praying mantis is directly related to cunning and resourcefulness, and the Turks - that he always points with his limbs directly in the direction of sacred Mecca.

Asians often gave their offspring fried eggs an insect to get rid of such an unpleasant ailment as enuresis, and the Europeans noticed the similarity of the praying mantis with the monks reciting prayers and awarded him the name Mantis religiosa.

The praying mantis is a large insect, its size can exceed 10-12 cm

Features and habitat

By description of the praying mantis insect you can see that it is quite large, and the length of its body can reach ten centimeters or more.

The typical color characteristic of these insects is white-yellow or green. However, it varies greatly depending on habitat and time of year.

Due to the natural ability to mimicry, the colors of the insect can exactly repeat the color of stones, branches, trees and grass, so if the praying mantis is stationary, it is very difficult to recognize it with the naked eye among the stormy landscape.

Head triangular shape highly mobile (rotates 180 degrees) and connects directly to the chest. Usually on the paws you can see a small dark spot.

The insect has incredibly developed forepaws, which have rather powerful sharp spikes, with the help of which it, in fact, can grab its prey for further eating.

The praying mantis has four wings, two of which are dense and narrow, and the other two are thin and wide and can open like a fan.

In the photo, the praying mantis spread its wings

The habitat of the praying mantis is a vast territory, which includes the countries of Southern Europe, the Front and Central Asia, Australia, Belarus, Tatarstan, as well as numerous steppe regions.

In the USA, this insect got on ships and merchant ships, where it inhabited the decks like cockroaches and.

Insofar as a sign of a praying mantis is an increased thermophilicity, it can easily be found in the zone of the tropics and subtropics, where it inhabits not only moist forests but also rocky areas such as deserts.

The nature and lifestyle of the praying mantis

The praying mantis prefers to lead a lifestyle that is far from nomadic, that is, settling in the same area for a long time.

In the event that there is enough food around, he can literally not leave the limits of one single plant or tree branch throughout his life.

Despite the fact that these insects can fly quite tolerably and have two pairs of wings, they use them infrequently, preferring to move with their long limbs.

Mostly males fly and only at night, making flights from branch to branch or from bush to bush.

They can also move from tier to tier, and you can meet them at the foot of tall tree, and at the top of its crown.

Most The praying mantis spends time in one position (highly raising his front paws), for which, in fact, he got his name.

Praying mantis in the pose for which he got his name

Indeed, looking at it from the side, it may seem that the insect is praying, but in fact it is busy guarding its future prey.

Despite the fact that the praying mantis has well-developed limbs and wings, it quite often becomes the prey of various birds, since it is extremely bad for him to run away from the aggressor.

Perhaps it is for this reason that the insect tries to move as little as possible during daylight hours, preferring to merge with the surrounding vegetation.

Although cockroaches are mantis-like insects, you can see that their habits are very different, especially since the praying mantis rarely strays into large flocks.

Praying mantis food

Mantis is a predatory insect, therefore, he feeds, respectively, on insects, such as bugs, cockroaches and. Occasionally, even small lizards, frogs, birds and some small rodents become its prey.

The appetite of these insects is very good, and literally in a matter of months one individual is able to eat several thousand insects of various sizes from grasshopper to aphids. In some cases, a praying mantis can even encroach on animals with a spine.

Cannibalism, that is, eating relatives, is also characteristic of praying mantises. For example, it often happens that female praying mantis eats the male immediately after the mating process, but sometimes she can eat him without waiting for the end of love pleasures.

To prevent this from happening male praying mantis forced to perform a kind of “dance”, thanks to which the female is able to distinguish him from prey and thereby leave him alive.

On the picture mating dance praying mantis

The praying mantis can sit motionless for a long time, merging with the surrounding vegetation, waiting for its prey.

When an unsuspecting or animal approaches the praying mantis, he makes a sharp throw and grabs the victim with the help of forelimbs with dangerous spikes.

With the same paws, the praying mantis brings the prey directly to the mouth and begins to absorb it. It should be noted that the jaws of these insects are surprisingly well developed, so that it can easily “grind” a not very large rodent or a medium-sized frog.

If the potential prey is quite large, the praying mantis prefers to approach it from the back, and approaching it at a close distance makes a sharp lunge to capture it.

In general, small insects are considered the main diet of this insect; it can start hunting for lizards and mice, being extremely hungry. In this case, from a hunter, he can easily turn into a victim.

Reproduction and lifespan

Praying mantis mating in conditions wildlife usually occurs from late summer to early autumn.

Males, using their own sense of smell, begin to intensively move around the habitat in search of females.

Contrary to established stereotypes, the female does not always eat the male after the mating process. This only applies to certain varieties.

Those representatives of praying mantises who live in more northern latitudes, it is necessary to cool the air temperature in order for the eggs to begin to hatch. For one laying, the female can bring about two hundred eggs.

Praying mantises are often planted at home by insect lovers. If you want to buy yourself a similar copy, you can easily find mantis photo with prices online. The life expectancy of this insect is about six months.

The common praying mantis is an insect belonging to the family of true praying mantises. This is the most common representative of the species in Europe.

Description

This is a fairly large insect. The common praying mantis, whose dimensions range from 42 to 52 mm (males) and from 48 to 75 mm (females), is a predator. It has forelimbs adapted for holding food. The praying mantis is part of the cockroach order, forming numerous species, consisting of three thousand subspecies.

The name was given to him by Carl Linnaeus, the great systematist, who noticed that the pose of the praying mantis, when he sits in ambush, is very reminiscent of a man who folded his hand in prayer. Therefore, the scientist called him Mantis religiosa, which translates as "religious priest."

Coloring

You probably know from school biology textbooks common praying mantis. Its coloration type is very variable, ranging from yellow or green to dark brown or brown-gray. Usually it corresponds to the habitat, matches the color of grass, stones and leaves.

The most common color is green or white-yellow. In older individuals, the outfit is paler. Dark brown spots appear on the body with age. This is due to the fact that the production of amino acids important for life stops in the body: methionine, leucine, tryptophan, etc. In laboratory conditions, when these substances are added to the feed, the life of the insect almost doubles - up to four months. This is the maximum period that an ordinary praying mantis can live.

Biological features

These insects have well-developed wings, they fly well, but males move like this, and only at night, and during the day they occasionally allow themselves to flit from branch to branch. The praying mantis has four wings. Two of them are dense and narrow, and the other two are thin and wide. They are able to open like a fan.

The head of the praying mantis is triangular in shape, very mobile, connected to the chest. It can rotate 180 degrees. This insect has well-developed front paws, which have powerful and sharp spikes. With their help, it grabs its prey and then eats it.

The photo of the common praying mantis, which you can see below, clearly demonstrates that this insect has well-developed eyes. It has excellent vision. The predator, being in an ambush, monitors the environment and instantly reacts to moving objects. He approaches the prey and grabs it strong paws. After that, the victim has no chance of survival.

Unlike males, which feed on small insects, heavy large females prefer their counterparts of the same, and sometimes larger size than they are. interesting story related to told E. Teal. He observed a funny situation on the street of one of the cities of America. car traffic was stopped. The drivers watched with interest the duel between the sparrow and the praying mantis. Surprisingly, the insect won the fight, and the sparrow had to retire from the battlefield in disgrace.

Photo of common praying mantis, habitat

The praying mantis is quite widespread in the south of Europe - from Portugal to Ukraine and Turkey. He did not bypass the islands of the Mediterranean Sea (Corsica, Balearic, Sicily, Sardinia, the islands of the Aegean Sea, Malta, Cyprus). Often found in Sudan and Egypt, in the Middle East from Iran to Israel, on the Arabian Peninsula.

The habitat of the common praying mantis also covers the southern regions of our country. Presumably introduced to the eastern United States, in New Guinea, in the 1890s. From these territories, he settled almost all of America and southern Canada. At the very beginning of this century, the praying mantis was discovered in Costa Rica. There are not officially confirmed data that the common praying mantis was found in Jamaica, Australia and Bolivia.

In Europe, the northern border of the range passes through such countries and areas as Belgium and France, Tyrol and southern Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria, southern Poland and Slovakia, the forest-steppe regions of Ukraine and southern Russia.

Scientists note that at the end of the 20th century, the range began to expand to the north. The number of these insects has significantly increased in the north of Germany, and the common praying mantis has appeared in Latvia and Belarus.

Reproduction features

It must be said that it is not easy for a male praying mantis to start a romantic relationship: a female, larger and stronger, can easily eat an unlucky groom, especially during a period when she is not ready to mate or is too hungry. Therefore, the common praying mantis (male) takes all precautions.

mating season

Having noticed the beautiful half, the male begins to creep up to her much more carefully than to the most dangerous and sensitive prey. His movements are not detected by the human eye. There is a feeling that the insect does not move at all, but gradually it approaches the female, while trying to come from behind. If the female at this moment turns in his direction, the male freezes in place for a long time, while swaying a little. Biologists believe that these movements are a signal that switches the behavior of the female from hunting to loving.

This rather peculiar courtship can last up to six hours. It’s better for a gentleman to be a little late for this date than to rush for a minute. The common praying mantis breeds at the very end of summer. On the territory of Russia, they mate from mid-August to early September. The influence of sex hormones provokes an increase in aggressiveness in the behavior of the insect. During this time, cases of cannibalism are not uncommon. The main feature of the common praying mantis is that the female devours the male after, and sometimes during mating.

There is a version that the male praying mantis cannot copulate if he has a head, so the sexual intercourse in insects begins with an unpleasant procedure for the male - the female tears off his head. However, more often mating occurs without victims, but after its completion, the female eats the male, and even then only in half of the cases.

As it turned out, she eats her partner not because of her special bloodthirstiness or harmfulness, but because of the great need for protein in the first stage of egg development.

Offspring

The common praying mantis, whose photo you can see in this article, lays eggs in ootheca. This is special form laying, characteristic of molluscs and cockroaches. It is a horizontal row of eggs, which can be two or more.

The female fills them with a foamy protein substance, which, when solidified, forms a capsule. As a rule, up to 300 eggs are laid. The capsule has a rather hard structure that easily adheres to plants or stones, protecting the egg from external influences.

Optimum humidity and temperature are maintained inside the capsule. In the ooteca, eggs cannot die even at temperatures down to -18 °C. AT temperate latitudes eggs hibernate, and in the southern regions incubation period is a month.

Larvae

Thirty days later, larvae emerge from the eggs. On their surface are small spikes that help them get out of the capsule. After that, the larvae molt. Later, they shed their skin and become like adults, but without wings. The common praying mantis larva is very mobile, it has a protective color.

In most distribution areas, these hatch in late April - early May. In two and a half months, they molt five times. Only after that they become adult insects. The puberty process is two weeks, then the males begin to look for their other half for mating. Praying mantis live in natural conditions - two months. The males die first. After mating, they no longer look for prey, become very lethargic and quickly die. They live only until September, and females survive them for a month. Their age ends in October.

Lifestyle and diet

The basis of the praying mantis diet is insects. The largest individuals (mainly females) often attack lizards, frogs and even birds. The common praying mantis eats its prey slowly. This process can last about three hours, and during the week the food is digested.

Praying mantis can hardly be called a lover of hiking. Only by the end of summer do males radically change their way of life: they begin to wander around. Faced with his brother, the insect enters into a fight, and the loser has a chance not only to die, but also to become dinner for the victorious opponent. Of course, in these journeys, male praying mantises are not looking for tournament fame at all, they need the love of a beautiful female.

The habitat of the common praying mantis is a tree or shrub, but sometimes they can freeze on the grass or on the ground. Insects move from tier to tier, so they can be found both at the top of the crown and at the foot of a tall tree. And one more interesting feature: Mantis only reacts to moving targets. Objects that are motionless are not interesting to him.

This predator is very voracious. An adult insect eats up to seven centimeter-sized cockroaches at a time. It takes about thirty minutes to eat the victim. First, he eats soft tissues, and only after that he proceeds to hard ones. The praying mantis leaves limbs and wings from the cockroach. Softer insects are eaten whole. Usually the praying mantis prefers When he has enough food, he lives on the same tree throughout his life.