(From the University of Kentucky) Mantis
are very efficient and deadly predators
that capture and eat a wide variety of
insects and other small prey. They have
a "neck"
that
allows the head to rotate 180 degrees
while waiting for a meal to wander by.
Camouflage coloration allows mantis to
sit on twigs and stems while they wait.
The two front legs of the
mantis are highly specialized. When
hunting mantis assume a "praying"
position, folding them up under their
head. They will strike out and capture
their prey. Long sharp spines on the
upper insides of these legs allow them
to get a good grip on their prey. The
impaled prey is held firmly in place
while being eaten. The spines fit into a
groove on the lower parts of the leg
when not in use.
There are three main
types of mantis in Kentucky, the
European mantis (Mantis religiosa),
Carolina mantid (Stagmomantis
carolina), and Chinese Mantis (Tenodera
aridifolia sinensis). The light,
dusty brown Carolina mantis is about 2"
long when full grown, that is , when it
has wings. The pale green European
mantis is about the same size. The large
(3" to 5" long) Chinese mantis is light
brow1n. The Carolina mantis is a native
insect. The European and Chinese species
were introduced in the northeast about
75 years ago as garden predators in
hopes of overtaking the native pest
populations.
During mating the smaller
male often jumps on the back of the
larger female. Miscalculating the jump
may mean the male becomes a meal. If the
jump was successful, the pair mate and
during copulation the female may turn
and devour the males head. The body of
the male is capable of completing the
mating, when complete the female will
finish eating the male.
After mating, the female will lay groups
of 12-400
eggs
in a frothy liquid that turns to a hard
protective shell. This is how these
insects survive the winter. Baby mantis
emerge from the mass in the spring.
Often, the first meal is a sibling. It
takes an entire summer or growing season
for mantis to mature to adulthood and
there is only one generation per year.
Pesticides drastically
reduce the numbers of mantis in a given
area. If you desire to encourage mantis
you should use as few pesticides as
possible and allow some vegetation to
grow to provide cover for the mantis.
Collecting egg masses is not an
effective method for increasing the
population due to the fact that mantis
tend to move away to find suitable
coverage and food sources.
Praying mantis have an association with
many diverse pharmacological and
religious beliefs. The Greeks called
them "Mantes", which means prophet. The
Chinese write of the mantis as curing
anything from impotence to goiter. They
believed that roasting the egg masses
and feeding them to your children will
stop bed wetting, but suggested not
eating the egg masses on an empty
stomach for it will surely make a person
sick. These myths are interesting but
there have been no findings to support
the ancient claims.
approx.
50-200 eggs. Tie cases on low tree limbs and
let these hungry guys go! Fascinating to
watch. One case treats up to a quarter of an
acre!
