Scientific Name: Mantis religiosa Arabic Name: N/A Tagged As:N/A
Easily recognizable, with light green body and green wings that extend past the abdomen. Antennae are slightly longer than head. Have the typical ‘praying-like’ pose. Abdomen is slender and has distinct black spots (spiracles) on the sides. Large compound eyes and a triangle head. Adults can reach up to 50-60mm.
Range and Habitats
Mantises are exclusively predatory and their diet usually consists of living insects. Occasionally seen preying on small lizards, they are ambush predators, waiting for prey to stray too near.
The mantis then lashes out at remarkable speed. Prey are caught and held securely with grasping, spiked forelegs (‘raptorial legs’); the first thoracic segment, the prothorax, is commonly elongated and flexibly articulated, allowing greater range of movement of the front limbs while the remainder of the body remains more or less immobile.
Mantae can live up to a year. Camouflage is their main defence against predators, and is also used to better snare their victims. Generally, mantises are protected simply by virtue of concealment.
When directly threatened, many mantis species stand tall and spread their forelegs, with their wings fanning out wide. The fanning of the wings evidently makes the mantis seem larger and more threatening. If harassment persists, a mantis may then strike with its forelegs and attempt to pinch or bite. As part of the threat display, some species also may produce a hissing sound by expelling air from the abdominal spiracles.