Praying Mantis

The praying mantis is an iconic predatory insect with raptoral appendages that resemble hands folded in prayer. A number of species, mostly in the family Mantidae, are included in this vernacular name, including the European Praying Mantis, Mantis religiosa, the Chinese Mantis, Tenodera aridifolia sinensis, and the Carolina Mantis, Stagmomantis carolina. While all three of these species are commonly found in North America, only the latter is native, with the other two having been introduced in order to help control insect pests.

Mantises can be found all over the world, in environments in which the winters are mild and the vegetation harbors adequate prey. While their closest relatives include cockroaches, mantises (like crickets) have historically managed to avoid the ick factor with which humans commonly regard insects, and have often been kept as pets. One important quality may be their ability to follow motion by turning their heads, which can make them seem more expressive and intelligent than other insects. Despite the reputation of the Praying Mantis for sexual cannibalism, entomologists are uncertain whether such behavior is common in the wild, or whether it is increased by the stresses of captivity. Whatever the case, most mantises encountered in situ are the larger, more aggressive females, while the males tend to be elusive and retiring.