What does the common mantis eat? Types of mantises: description, names, features and interesting facts
These are large predatory insects belonging to the Bogomolov order. A characteristic feature of praying mantises is the presence of long front legs equipped with spines used for obtaining food. People breed these insects in terrariums.
Scientists observe their behavior and study their habits, since in nature it is very difficult to track down a praying mantis due to its camouflage color. Most often, the skin of a praying mantis is green or brown and is practically invisible in the grass. The insect is capable of freezing and sitting motionless on its prey, making observation of mantises much more difficult.
Appearance
Praying mantises are large insects, the males are 42 to 52 mm in size; the females are larger, reaching 48-75 mm. The insect's legs have spine-shaped devices for holding prey.
Outwardly, it is very difficult to confuse the common praying mantis with other insects.
- Head It has a triangular shape, with large eyes located on the sides, which often have the same color as the body color. There are two long whiskers on the head.
- Body The insect is oblong and has wings for flight. However, it prefers to fly only at night; during the day, the praying mantis only occasionally uses its wings to fly.
- Has very powerful jaws, which can gnaw not only the bodies of other insects, but also bite off meat and break the chitinous shell of beetles.
- Coloring varies, but the most common are green and brown insects.
Regarding coloration, praying mantises have a large number of colors in their arsenal. The color is very variable depending on the habitat, ranging from green or yellow to dark brown or brown. Praying mantises, as natural hunters, adapt to their environment, and therefore their color will be the same as the color of the grass and plants around them. Old individuals of these insects turn pale and lose their color. The body of older individuals stops producing amino acids that are important for maintaining life. By artificially adding food containing the missing amino acids to the insect's diet, the mantis can live twice as long as it would in nature.
Reproduction
Males have a hard time forming a romantic relationship with a female praying mantis. Since the females are much larger and stronger than the groom. They are aggressive towards males, especially during periods when the female is not ready to mate.
During the mating season, the male, having noticed the female, begins to creep up on her, more carefully than on prey. Sometimes this action is so slow that the human eye is not able to catch the movements. The groom tries to sneak up on his bride exclusively from behind so that she does not attack. If the female turns to him, he freezes for a long time, while swaying a little. Biologists suggest that these swaying movements are used to excite the female and switch from her hunting instincts to reproductive instincts.
This movement is a kind of courtship and can last up to 6 hours. Reproduction occurs in late summer, from mid-August to early September. Under the influence of sex hormones, insects become aggressive, and cases of cannibalism often occur at this time. The female, as a larger representative of mantises, being in a hungry state, is capable of eating her fellows. However, the male has to be content with insects. It is a known fact that after mating, females often eat the male, but this is far from a mandatory rule. Eating one's partner occurs in approximately half of all cases, and is extremely rare during the mating process itself.
Offspring of praying mantises
The common mantis lays eggs in swellings. This form of masonry is characteristic of smallmouths and cockroaches. The clutch is a horizontal row of eggs. The female fills the eggs with foamy liquid. When the liquid hardens, it forms a protective capsule. One clutch usually contains up to 300 eggs. The capsule is quite hard and can easily stick to the stems of the plant. Good humidity and temperature are maintained inside the shell. Eggs in such conditions can survive even frosts, down to minus 18 degrees. The incubation period in warm areas where common mantises live is 30 days to develop into larvae. In cold areas of residence, eggs are left for the winter.
Larvae are formed after 30 days of incubation period. There are small spines on the surface of the larvae that help them get out from under the shell. Once the larva is released, it molts over time. Becomes similar to an adult after shedding its skin. Puberty of the common mantis occurs after two weeks. Then, the males begin to look for females to mate with. Mantises live in natural conditions for up to two months; in an artificial habitat they can live up to four. The males are the first to die, because after mating, they stop looking for prey, become very lethargic and soon die.
Diet and lifestyle
The praying mantis' diet consists of insects.
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Large females are capable of attacking not only small insects, but also large spiders, lizards, frogs, and even small birds can be eaten. An ordinary praying mantis eats its prey slowly; the meal process can last up to 3 hours. The absorbed food is digested by the insect’s body over the course of a week.
By the end of summer, by the breeding season, males begin to actively use their wings to search for females. Bumping into each other, they start fighting. The losing individual not only risks death, but also becomes food for the winner.
Habitats are usually trees, shrubs, and grass. This is a very voracious predator; an adult mantis is capable of eating up to 7 cockroaches at a time. However, they are not interested in stationary targets. It eats its prey from the soft parts, then moves on to the hard parts. The jaws of this insect are very strong and are capable of chewing through the thick chitinous shell of various insects. The praying mantis leads a sedentary lifestyle, and if it has enough food, it does not leave the tree or shrub on which it has lived its entire life.
Type: Arthropods
Class: Insects
Squad: Cockroaches
Suborder: Praying Mantis
Family: Real praying mantises
Subfamily: Mantinae
Tribe: Mantini
Genus: Praying Mantises
View: Common praying mantis (Mantisreligiosa)
Description of the species
The scientific name of the species in Latin is Mantisreligiosa. The word mantis is translated “priest”, “prophet”, religiosa - “religious”. Carl Linnaeus did not choose the name by chance; when waiting for prey, the common mantis or the religious mantis folds its shins into the groove of its thighs. His pose resembles a man frozen in prayer.
The common praying mantis (Mantisreligiosa) belongs to the order Praying Mantis, which includes 2,800 species. The insect's body is narrow and elongated. Males grow up to 43-52 mm, females are much larger - 50-75 mm. An anatomical feature of mantises is the structure of the forelimbs. Grasping legs with spiny elongated femurs and tibiae are designed for holding prey. The thigh and lower leg in a ligament function on the principle of scissors. On the inside of the coxae of the forelimbs there is a dark spot with a white mark in the middle.
Despite the fact that females are larger than males, males have longer antennae and larger eyes.
The head is triangular, mobile, the insect is able to look back. On the sides there are large, convex compound eyes. In European mantises they have a black pupil. On the forehead there are long thread-like antennae and three simple ocelli. The mouthparts of the gnawing type are directed downwards. The common mantis has two pairs of well-developed wings. Light males and young females are capable of flying over considerable distances.
The forewings are narrow and leathery, they replace the elytra. The hind wings are wide, and when at rest they are folded on the back like a fan. The pronotum expands in the upper part, but never covers the head. The abdomen is elongated, soft, consists of 10 segments. On the last segment there are appendages - cerci. There are 10 pairs of spiracles on the sides of the body.
Color and camouflage
The color type of the common mantis is protective. Body color can be green (in 80% of cases), yellow, light or dark brown. Camouflage coloring allows you to blend in with the environment. When the insect is motionless, it completely mimics foliage or a twig. Camouflage serves two functions: it allows you to hunt from ambush and hide from enemies.
Some praying mantises have stunningly complex and effective camouflage patterns that rival any other animal. Some can blend in so well with trees and leaves that they are almost impossible to notice. They even sway, as if leaves and twigs were being shaken by a light breeze. Some of the most fantastic camouflages are those of the violin mantis from India and the orchid mantis from Malaysia. They are lilac-violet or hot pink, interspersed with just the right shade of green and strategically placed dark areas, and can bend their abdomen to create an exact replica of part of the flower. Even experts can mistake them for a flower.
When attacked by an enemy, the mantis opens its wings to increase in size. It sways from side to side and raises its front legs and the edge of its abdomen threateningly. All actions are aimed at scaring away the aggressor. If the enemy is too large, the mantis flies away.
Spreading
Widely distributed in the southern regions of Europe, reaching north to 54° north latitude; Western and Central Asia, Kazakhstan, North Africa, in the south of the African continent it reaches the Transvaal and the Cape Land (South Africa). Thanks to man, it went far beyond its range, as it was brought by merchant ships to North America and Australia. In Russia, it is distributed in the European part (south of 50 - 54° N), in the Caucasus, in the steppe zone of the southern Urals, in the south of Siberia and the Far East.
Types of praying mantises
There are more than 2,000 species of praying mantises.
Below is a description of several varieties:
- Common praying mantis (lat. 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 of the Mediterranean Sea. This species is found in Sudan and Egypt, in Israel and Iran, as well as in Russia, from the southern regions to the Primorsky Territory. Introduced populations have been recorded in Australia and North America. A distinctive feature of 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) (lat. Tenodera aridifolia, Tenodera sinensis) 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.
- Praying mantis Creobroter meleagris widespread 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 brown stripes of varying widths run throughout the body, head and paws. The elytra and pronotum are colored in olive-green tones.
- Praying mantis Creobroter gemmatus, which is also called Indian flower mantis, is a typical inhabitant of the humid forests of India, Vietnam and other countries of South Asia. 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.
- Praying mantis 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.
- Orchid mantis (lat. 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 orchid 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. A distinctive feature of this species is its wide forelimbs, small head and thread-like antennae.
- Praying Mantis Idolomantisdiabolica, which is also called Damn flower or Devil's flower lives in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and other countries of 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 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 spines located on the thighs of the front legs have different lengths. Three shorter ones are visible between the long spines.
- Eastern heterochaeta (lat. Heterochaeta orientalis), which also has an unofficial name spike-eyed mantis, lives 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.
- Praying mantis 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. 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 praying mantisparadoxa lives in rather arid regions of Africa, located south of the Sahara Desert, 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.
- Mantis Metallyticussplendidus lives in India, Malaysia, Sumatra and other countries in Southeast Asia. Hunts for prey in the branches of trees or shrubs, 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.
- Praying Mantis Amelesspallanziania widespread in Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Portugal, Spain, Italy, San Marino, and Greece. The habitat of this species also includes Cyprus, Malta and other countries of 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.
- Mantis Blepharopsismendica, 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.
- Praying mantis Rhombodera basalis lives in the tropical zone of 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.
- Sarawak mantis / Hestiasula sarawaka. The Saravar mantis, which lives on the island of Kalimantan, in addition to its frightening defensive pose, makes specific sounds. In this mantis, all parts of the body visible from above when at rest are gray or brown in color. When irritated, the insect spreads its front legs and moves both pairs of wings to the side.
- Malaysian leaf-shaped mantis (lat. Deroplatys dessicata) widespread both in the tropical forests of Malaysia or Indonesia, and in the humid thickets of 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.
- Mantis Deroplatys lobata 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.
- Praying mantis 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.
Lifestyle
The praying mantis lives and hunts like a typical ambush hunter. The predator freezes until the prey is within reach. It grabs prey with its front legs and starts eating from the head. Males are careful in choosing hunting objects; they attack flies, locusts and other small insects. Large females often attack victims almost equal in size to them. Aggressive individuals attack lizards, birds, and frogs. They jump on the reptile's back and bite its head. The fight continues for several minutes, in the process the hunter can become the victim. If the outcome is successful, the prey is eaten within 2-3 hours. The female remains well fed for up to 4-5 days.
You can meet Mantisreligiosa in the forest, steppe herbs, and meadows. Insects do not even avoid large cities, where they have adapted to live in grass, parks and gardens. The favorite habitats of the common mantis are tall trees and bushes. Insects prefer a sedentary lifestyle. They do not leave their usual territory, they move between tiers. For movement, four limbs are used, less often wings.
Given enough food, they spend their entire lives on one plant. Insects have excellent vision; they detect the slightest movement in the environment. Camouflage coloring allows you to get closer to your prey unnoticed. Hunting takes place during the daytime. All soft tissues of the prey are eaten, leaving chitinous legs and wings. How long a common mantis lives depends on the amount of food and gender. The age of females is longer; on average, representatives of the species live 2-3 months in natural conditions. In captivity, the life expectancy of insects increases several times and is 12-13 months.
Nutrition
Praying mantises are predatory insects. They catch their victims with strong front legs covered with sharp spines. The praying mantis, waiting for prey with its front legs “humbly” folded, slightly resembles a person praying - hence the name of the insects. Female praying mantises are larger, more voracious and more aggressive than males. Males feed mainly on small insects, and huge females often attack even such relatively large animals as lizards, frogs and birds.
Reproduction
People have repeatedly observed how they kill and eat their partners during or after mating. In fact, in most cases, insect mating occurs normally. And if the female eats the male, she does it “out of forgetfulness,” mistaking him for an opportune victim. The fact is that when a female develops eggs, her body requires additional amounts of protein and at this time she becomes especially voracious.
Before mating, the male praying mantis performs an intricate dance in front of the female and sends her an odorous signal, releasing special substances into the air. This helps him somehow protect his life: otherwise the female would probably take him for a tasty prey.
After mating, the female praying mantis lays several dozen eggs. But before that, she builds special “bags” for them from foamy protein material – ootheca. Foamy liquid is produced by special glands in the abdomen of the insect. First, the female attaches a ball of foam to a tree branch. While the foam is wet and soft, it creates several small chambers (recesses) in it and lays one egg in each chamber. After some time, the foam hardens in air and turns into a durable material reminiscent of polystyrene. Ootecae protect eggs from adverse external influences: they can withstand freezing temperatures and are not destroyed by pesticides.
The mantis larvae (nymphs) hatching from the eggs are selected from the ootheca through a single hole at its apex. Praying mantis larvae are very similar to adult insects, but lack wings. The nymphs of some mantises live in nests and disguise themselves as ants.
Enemies of Mantises
When attacked by an enemy (snake, bird, bat or chameleon) 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 praying mantis prefers to retreat and flies away, however, seeing its advantage, it bravely confronts the enemy and often turns out to be the winner in such a fight.
Mantis and man
For example, it is widely believed that praying mantises only kill “harmful” insects, but this is not true. Praying mantises are equally eager to feast on, for example, honey bees and garden pests.
There are about 1,800 species of praying mantises. Two species are widespread in the United States - the introduced Chinese mantis, 8–13 cm long, and the native Carolina mantis, reaching 5 cm in length. Scientists disagree on how to classify the insect family Mantidae. Some group them with other insects in a squad Dictyoptera. Others place them in a separate detachment - Mantodea.
Evolutionists claim that praying mantises evolved from the same ancestor as cockroaches, but this is based on belief rather than observable and verifiable evidence.
Once the obligatory tribute to evolution has been paid, most scientists marvel at the amazing design of the praying mantis. For example, in reference to the lightning speed and strong muscles of the praying mantis's front legs, the researchers use words such as "superbly equipped," "sophisticated," and that "their front legs are amazingly designed."
In the USA, they are used to a limited extent in gardens for growing organic fruits. In general, the condition of this group of insects is good. Species such as spotted iris, striped empusa and short-winged bolivaria are included in the regional Red Books.
Keeping praying mantises at home
Terrarium
It would be a very exotic and unusual act to get yourself a pet praying mantis, wouldn’t it? However, there are people who have such “pets” and if you also want to join them, then the first thing you will have to take care of is the terrarium. A relatively small glass or plastic terrarium with a mesh lid is suitable; its dimensions should be at least three times the size of the mantis itself. Inside it would be nice to place twigs or small plants on which the praying mantis will climb like trees.
Temperature
Praying mantises are heat-loving insects, so the optimal temperature for them will be from +23 to +30 C. You can use special heaters for terrariums.
Humidity
Also, do not forget about humidity, which is also important for these insects. The optimal humidity for praying mantises is 40-60%, and to maintain it, you can place a small container of water inside the terrarium.
What to feed praying mantises at home?
Live food. Crickets, grasshoppers, cockroaches, and flies are perfect. Some species of praying mantises will not mind eating ants. And at the same time, they need to be fed regularly, so keeping such “pets” can be somewhat troublesome. But you don’t need to give praying mantises water, since they get the liquid the body needs from food.
Praying Mantises ( Mantodea) - a special order of insects. In a number of features (the structure of the abdomen, wings, the production of special capsules-ootheca for eggs) they are similar to cockroaches - based on these characteristics they were sometimes even combined into one order. But in their lifestyle and behavior, praying mantises are not at all similar to cockroaches - they are active predators living alone.
The praying mantis is known for its "prayer pose" with its front legs folded over its chest. These legs are grasping, with sharp spines, and open like a penknife. Quickly throwing them forward, the mantis deftly captures the prey.
In total, about 2 thousand species of mantises are known. Large tropical species are capable of attacking small lizards, birds, and frogs. But an ordinary praying mantis 6 cm in size can kill and eat a lizard 10 cm long in 3 hours and digest it in 6 days. At this time he doubles in weight. But the usual food of praying mantises is insects.
Praying mantises have a camouflage color - matching the color of the trees, grass, flowers, sticks, stones, leaves among which they live. A motionless mantis in its natural environment is almost impossible to notice. Only movement can give it away.
The praying mantis usually moves very slowly, but if there is obvious danger, it can crawl away quite quickly - and freeze again in a new place. When clearly attacked, this insect behaves differently - it opens its wings, increasing its size, and begins to swing, trying to scare its enemies. A number of tropical species make sounds at the same time - the rustling of wings, the clicking of legs. Some mantises have contrasting spots on their wings that are hidden when at rest. But when the wings spread, these spots, like someone’s large eyes, suddenly appear in front of the enemy, frightening him. In addition, the attacked mantis throws its open grasping legs forward, trying to prick the enemy with its spines.
Praying mantis Pseudocreoborta wahlbergi in a threatening pose Praying mantises are primarily inhabitants of the tropics or subtropics. Most widely distributed (common mantis Mantis religiosa
): from South Africa to Central Asia, the Caucasus, the south of central Russia - approximately to the line of Kursk, Bryansk, Orel, Belgorod. But along the northern borders of its distribution, the praying mantis is rare. For example, near Kiev we observed it 1–4 times a year, and near Kharkov - even less often, occasionally. But already on the Black Sea coast, in Crimea, in the Caucasus, this is a fairly common insect. The common mantis is found in southern Siberia, Kazakhstan and the Russian Far East. With ships, this species also came to Australia and the USA, and is now found there even in large cities, for example in New York.
We also had unexpected encounters with a praying mantis: either it flew into the window of a house, or it sat on the sidewalk of a city street, at a trolleybus stop. But still, the usual habitat of this insect in the city is close to natural: dense thickets of grass, bushes, trees in parks and botanical gardens.
You can meet the common praying mantis both in the grass and on the branches of bushes and trees. These insects have well-developed wings, but we observed only males flying. They fly especially actively at night, although they can fly from tree to tree during the day. But usually the mantis does not strive to move - if there is food, the tree mantis can live its entire life on one tree or bush, even on one large branch.
The praying mantis has a movable triangular head with developed eyes. He looks around carefully, he is attracted by every slightest movement nearby. Noticing a moving small object, a hungry mantis begins to slowly move towards it and, approaching, grabs it with its hunting legs and eats it. The mantis can catch small insects, motionless waiting for them in ambush, using its protective coloration. But the mantis actively pursues large prey, equal or even larger in size, for example an adult locust, crawls towards it openly, tries to jump onto its back and grabs it, first of all by the head. After which he immediately begins to eat, also from the head.
Stationary objects do not cause any reactions in mantises; they only catch moving prey (similar behavior can be seen in many spiders). But the mantis necessarily reacts to a moving object. In experiments, these insects even tried to catch the image of a colored square moving on a white screen.
If a large object that suddenly appears nearby is too large, the mantis may display a defensive reaction - then it spreads its wings and throws its legs forward with a special repulsive movement, trying to put their sharp ends and spines forward. A well-fed, weakened or old mantis also repels insects approaching it, which in other conditions would become its prey.
The praying mantis is gluttonous. The larvae eat 5–6 aphids, fruit flies, and house flies per day; An adult insect can eat 7-8 cockroaches about a centimeter in length in a row, spending about half an hour on each. Having caught a cockroach, the mantis begins to gnaw its soft parts, especially the abdomen, and finally the harder ones, in particular the head. All that remains of the cockroach are wings, sometimes pieces of legs, and the mantis eats soft insects almost without a trace.
The breeding season of praying mantises in temperate climates extends from August to September. At this time, males begin to migrate in search of females. At the end of the abdomen of mantises there are special outgrowths - cerci, they are organs of smell. In males, the cerci are better developed and, perhaps, help in finding partners.
It is widely believed that a larger and more voracious female praying mantis will definitely eat the male upon meeting. However, in reality this is not always the case. Having noticed the female, the male praying mantis carefully and very slowly, with frequent long stops, freezing, begins to approach her, swaying slightly. At this time, the female can catch prey, eat, and clean herself. If she notices the male’s movement and turns her head towards him, he immediately freezes for a long time. This approach and contact can last 5–6 hours. As a rule, the male tries to approach the female from behind, from the back - this is the most successful and safe way for him. But if he approaches from the side, the female often notices him and attacks.
Hungry females are the most aggressive; a well-fed insect reacts sluggishly to moving objects, and this also helps the male protect himself from attack.
Positioning itself at the back of the female and quickly leaving after the meeting, the male praying mantis often remains alive.
The newborn mantis larva has long filaments at the end of the abdomen and many backward-pointing spines on the body. These spines help her crawl out of the ootheca. But the tail filaments of the larva are pinched by the edges of the egg capsule - then the larva immediately molts, leaves the old skin and becomes similar to an adult mantis, only small and wingless. It has a protective coloration, but compared to adult insects it is very mobile.
At first, the larvae feed on small thrips and aphids, then, as they grow, they move on to fruit flies and larger flies. When kept in captivity, in a limited space, mantis larvae actively attack each other. But in nature they manage to spread out before it comes to mutual destruction.
In Europe and Central Asia, praying mantis larvae usually appear in April–May.
After about two and a half months, having moulted 5 times, they turn into adult insects. After another 10–14 days, males begin to look for females.
An adult insect lives 55–60 days. Males usually die earlier than females - after the breeding season they become lethargic and stop hunting. The male praying mantis, caught in the wild as an adult, died in our captivity by the end of September, and the female died in October. Even when optimal conditions are created, with an abundance of food, warmth and light, mantises die during October, depending on the time of their birth in the spring. That is, the life span of 2 months allotted to an adult insect is very strict. The old mantis develops dark brown spots on its body, and its bright green color fades. A chemical analysis of the insect’s body during this period reveals the disappearance of vital amino acids in the body, in particular valine, leucine, lysine, tryptophan, methionine, threonine, etc. Adding these amino acids to the food and water for the mantis, as well as vitamins A, D, E and a complex of B vitamins extends its life until the end of December, that is, by 2–3 months compared to the usual period. (In addition to the usual, in the Crimea, the Caucasus and Transcaucasia, the Southern Volga region, southern Siberia, Kazakhstan and Central Asia spotted wing mantis Iris polystictica). In the south of the steppe strip you can find praying mantises of the genus Bolivaria
, and in Central Asia - tree mantises (Hierodula.) are found in southern Europe, the Caucasus and Transcaucasia, Central Asia and southern Kazakhstan. These mantises have a very characteristic appearance: a triangular head with a pointed end and a special outgrowth sticking out in front - in this way they resemble little devils. These rather large insects (females reach 6.5 cm, males are slightly smaller) are generally similar to the common praying mantis, but slimmer, with a thinner abdomen.
Male empusas have developed feathery antennae, which indicates their good perception of odors. Species of this genus are very active at night. Their larvae appear in the summer and are noticeably larger than the larvae of other mantises, so they immediately begin to feed on small flies (rather than thrips and aphids), and quickly switch to feeding on fillies and butterflies. Unlike a number of other mantises, empusas overwinter not with eggs in the ooteca, but with already grown larvae and even adults. In addition to plant-living mantises, desert species are also found in Central Asia. They are small in size, stick to sand and rocks, and move quickly in search of prey. Their movements are similar to ants. These are, for example, rivetins ( Rivetina ). Baby praying mantises from the armen family ( Armena
) have a size of about 1.5 cm and are found not only in deserts, but also in the mountains, at an altitude of up to 2.7 km, where they hide under stones.
In recent years, mantises have become rare in a number of places, in particular in the Crimea - empusas, spotted-winged mantises, and bolivarians. A possible reason for this is the destruction of the habitats of these insects, dense steppe vegetation, and the plowing of virgin steppe lands. But by preserving small areas of dense herbs—micro-reserves for insects—and limiting the use of pesticides, mantises can also be preserved. This is especially desirable to do on the northern edges of their range, in Russia, where mantises are already quite rare.
Literature
Gornostaev G.N. Insects of the USSR. – M.: Mysl, 1970.
Life of animals. T. 3. Invertebrates. – M.: Education, 1969.
Plavilshchikov N.N. Insect key. – M.: Education, 1957.
Chervona Book of Ukraine (Tvarinniy suite)/Ed.
MM. Shcherbak. – Kyiv: Ukrainian Encyclopedia, 1994.
Description of the species
The common praying mantis (Mantisreligiosa) belongs to the order Praying Mantis, which includes 2,800 species. The insect's body is narrow and elongated. Males grow up to 43-52 mm, females are much larger - 50-75 mm. An anatomical feature of mantises is the structure of the forelimbs. Grasping legs with spiny elongated femurs and tibiae are designed for holding prey. The thigh and lower leg in a ligament function on the principle of scissors. On the inside of the coxae of the forelimbs there is a dark spot with a white mark in the middle.
Praying mantises are large insects with a narrow, elongated body. Born predators and masters of camouflage, they ambush their prey, blending completely into the foliage and branches. By exterminating phytophagous insects, they benefit agriculture. The common praying mantis is a typical representative of the order of praying mantises, living in Europe. A characteristic feature of insects is their front legs, equipped with tools for grasping and holding prey. There are sharp spikes on the thighs and lower legs, which, like a trap, catch an unwary victim. Many people know about the mating cannibalism of praying mantises. This amazing feature has become a source of inspiration for writing scary stories and making films.
The head is triangular, mobile, the insect is able to look back. On the sides there are large, convex compound eyes. In European mantises they have a black pupil. On the forehead there are long thread-like antennae and three simple ocelli. The mouthparts of the gnawing type are directed downwards. The common mantis has two pairs of well-developed wings. Light males and young females are capable of flying over considerable distances.
The forewings are narrow and leathery, they replace the elytra. The hind wings are wide, and when at rest they are folded on the back like a fan. The pronotum expands in the upper part, but never covers the head. The abdomen is elongated, soft, consists of 10 segments. On the last segment there are appendages - cerci. There are 10 pairs of spiracles on the sides of the body.
The color type of the common mantis is protective. Body color can be green (in 80% of cases), yellow, light or dark brown. Camouflage coloring allows you to blend in with the environment. When the insect is motionless, it completely mimics foliage or a twig. Camouflage serves two functions: it allows you to hunt from ambush and hide from enemies.
Interesting fact. Despite the fact that females are larger than males, males have longer antennae and larger eyes.
Information. When attacked by an enemy, the mantis opens its wings to increase in size. It sways from side to side and raises its front legs and the edge of its abdomen threateningly. All actions are aimed at scaring away the aggressor. If the enemy is too large, the mantis flies away.
The scientific name of the species in Latin is Mantisreligiosa. The word mantis is translated “priest”, “prophet”, religiosa - “religious”. Carl Linnaeus did not choose the name by chance; when waiting for prey, the common mantis or the religious mantis folds its shins into the groove of its thighs. His pose resembles a man frozen in prayer.
History of the name
The Mantisreligiosa species is thermophilic and cannot be found beyond the 50th parallel. The northern border of distribution in Europe runs through southern Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and France. The common praying mantis is often found in southern European regions, on the islands of the Mediterranean Sea, in Sudan, and in the Middle East. Predatory insects were brought to remote parts of the world - New Guinea, the USA, and the south of Canada was partially inhabited. Climate warming is promoting the expansion of the habitat to the north. Adult Mantisreligiosa is recorded in Belarus and Latvia, where it did not live before. In Russia, insects live in large numbers on the Black Sea coast, in the Crimea and the Caucasus.
Lifestyle
The praying mantis lives and hunts like a typical ambush hunter. The predator freezes until the prey is within reach. It grabs prey with its front legs and starts eating from the head. Males are careful in choosing hunting objects; they attack flies, locusts and other small insects. Large females often attack victims almost equal in size to them. Aggressive individuals attack lizards, birds, and frogs. They jump on the reptile's back and bite its head. The fight continues for several minutes, in the process the hunter can become the victim. If the outcome is successful, the prey is eaten within 2-3 hours. The female remains well fed for up to 4-5 days.
You can meet Mantisreligiosa in the forest, steppe herbs, and meadows. Insects do not even avoid large cities, where they have adapted to live in grass, parks and gardens. The favorite habitats of the common mantis are tall trees and bushes. Insects prefer a sedentary lifestyle. They do not leave their usual territory, they move between tiers. For movement, four limbs are used, less often wings.
Given enough food, they spend their entire lives on one plant. Insects have excellent vision; they detect the slightest movement in the environment. Camouflage coloring allows you to get closer to your prey unnoticed. Hunting takes place during the daytime. All soft tissues of the prey are eaten, leaving chitinous legs and wings. How long a common mantis lives depends on the amount of food and gender. The age of females is longer; on average, representatives of the species live 2-3 months in natural conditions. In captivity, the life expectancy of insects increases several times and is 12-13 months.
Like any insect, the praying mantis has many natural enemies. It is hunted by birds, snakes, small mammals, and bats. The arthropod runs slowly and takes off heavily. Its terrifying dance with its wings spread like a fan scares off only inexperienced young birds. For other large hunters, the mantis is easy prey.
Meaning in nature
The biological significance of the common mantis is associated with its lifestyle. He is a predator that destroys harmful insects. Adults and larvae eat phytophages on trees and shrubs. Attempts have been made more than once to organize the protection of agricultural lands with the help of praying mantises. Large-scale plans to use predators as biological weapons against pests have not been successful, but many farmers buy Mantisreligiosa oothecae. They are placed in gardens to safely kill aphids and thrips.
Sexual dimorphism of insects is clearly expressed in the sizes of male and female individuals.
The sexual behavior of insects is closely studied by scientists. Relations between partners are divided into two stages:
- pre-court;
- pairing.
In temperate climates, the breeding season is August–September. At the end of the abdomen of males there are sensitive olfactory organs - cerci. With their help, insects capture the pheromones of females. The courtship process involves carefully approaching the object of passion. The male slowly and carefully moves towards the female, trying to go around her from behind. When she turns her head, she freezes in place, taking advantage of the fact that mantises do not react to motionless figures. Courtship takes several hours, but allows you to remain alive until mating.
Having reached a potential partner, the male jumps on her back. It supports itself with its legs, placing them in special grooves on the sides of the female’s mesothorax. In such a safe position, he begins copulation. The process can last 4-5 hours. In 50% of cases the male manages to escape. Having run away from his partner to a safe distance, he freezes for several minutes. This is necessary for relaxation.
Praying mantises are insects with incomplete metamorphosis. The development of an individual occurs in 3 stages: egg, larva, imago. 10-11 days after fertilization, the female common mantis lays eggs. The masonry is 100-300 pieces. A sticky secretion is released along with the eggs. After the liquid hardens, an ootheca is formed - a protective capsule in which the masonry is not exposed to external influences. The ootheca is yellow or brown in color and is attached to branches or stones. The eggs remain overwintering.
Larvae
The offspring of praying mantises appear in the spring. The larvae are born with many spines on the body and two filaments on the abdomen. The spines help the young to get out of the capsule. The larvae hang on the tail threads, this is how the first molt occurs. They will have to go through 4 more molts before they mature. Wingless larvae are similar in appearance to adults. They feed on fruit flies, aphids, and thrips.
Cannibalism during mating
During the breeding season, under the influence of sex hormones, the aggressiveness of females increases. The partner is in danger if the female has been fasting for 2-3 days. She may attack the male before copulation. This will provide the necessary nutrients, plus the size of the prey is larger than regular insects. The partner runs the risk of dying during mating; loss of the head does not affect copulation. Eating the male after accepting the spermatophore has the same reasons. The female praying mantis provides nutrition for future offspring, increasing the chances of producing a large number of eggs.
Interesting fact. Males choose large, well-fed females to mate with, this reduces the risk of being eaten during fertilization.
The domestic praying mantis is an exotic pet that can live at home for about a year. Insects are smart, sociable, and quite large in size. To house your pet you will need a terrarium. They come in two types: plastic and glass. The second option is preferable. Air access is provided by a mesh lid. The length of the dwelling should be 3 times the size of the praying mantis’ body.
The heat-loving insect requires a temperature of 22-26°C. It can be maintained with a special heater or a lamp installed near the container. Recommended humidity 40-60%. Maintained by daily spraying of the substrate. It is not necessary to install a drinking bowl; moisture on the walls of the terrarium is enough. The pet is picked up without fear; the more often the contact occurs, the sooner it gets used to the person.
Sand or coconut sawdust is poured onto the bottom as a substrate. Twigs and driftwood are placed inside for the insect to crawl on. An important nuance when keeping several common mantises is placing them in different containers. This will prevent cannibalism, which is typical for the species. Food for the predator includes grasshoppers, flies, locusts, crickets, and cockroaches. Pets are fed every 2-3 days. Depending on the size, 1-3 food insects are given at a time. By launching the prey inside the container, you can watch the hunt.
Security measures
Despite the widespread distribution of insects in some regions of Russia, the common mantis is listed in the Red Book. It is classified as a rare species in the Chelyabinsk, Voronezh, Kurgan, Belgorod and Lipetsk regions. The number of insects has decreased as a result of plowing of land, grass burning, continuous hayfields, and the use of pesticides in cultivating fields. In the habitats of mantises, economic activity is limited. To protect the species, plowing land, grazing livestock, using pesticides, killing or capturing insects is prohibited. In Germany, the common mantis is included in the Red List as a declining species. It cannot be caught in the wild and kept at home as a pet.
Arthropod insects from the order Praying Mantises received their Russian name due to the fact that their forelimbs are similar to human arms, bent in the hands.
While in ambush, they take a wait-and-see attitude. In the photo of praying mantises you can see this behavioral feature. This posture is associated with the position of the body of a person reading a prayer.
Description of insects
These arthropod insects have an elongated body with a triangular head that rotates around its axis. Mantises notice enemies ready to attack them from behind.
Look what a praying mantis looks like, the photo shows the complex structure of its bulging eyes. They are located on the sides of the head; the insect also has 3 additional eyes.
Many segments form antennae. The mouthparts of the gnawing type are directed downward.
A special feature is the pronotum, which expands upward. The body consists of 10 segments. On the latter there is a pair of appendages that serve as olfactory organs.
Most varieties of mantises have wings and can fly. The front pair of wings, narrower than the rear, are used as elytra.
The wider pair of wings at the rear may be brightly colored and even patterned. In addition, there are praying mantises without wings, similar to larvae.
Insects have well-developed forelimbs. The tarsi have 5 segments and 2 large claws. In addition to the tarsus, the limb includes the tibia, coxa, femur, and trochanter. The femur and tibia have spines.
During the eating process, the mantis holds the victim between the lower leg and thigh. The other legs of the insect have a typical structure for arthropods. The praying mantis breathes through the tracheal system.
The female praying mantis is larger in size than the male.
There are species that reach 16-17 cm in length, but there are also varieties no more than 5 mm.
The coloring of the body has a camouflage character. The color literally blends with the environment.
Some representatives of praying mantises resemble leaves, sticks or flowers, others are colored to resemble tree bark, lichens or ashes that are carried by the wind after a fire.
Insects can have different colors: green, brownish, yellow and even contrasting. The color of the same individual may change after molting.
Enemies of arthropod insects
Praying mantises can become prey for snakes, chameleons, bats and birds. Having encountered an enemy, the insect tries to scare the attacker.
The praying mantis adopts a terrifying pose and makes terrifying sounds. But when the enemy turns out to be stronger, he flies away.
How long does a praying mantis live?
Each species has its own life expectancy. It can vary from 2 to 11 months.
Natural habitat
Praying mantises are found in most Asian and European countries in the south and central parts. Insects can be found in Africa, South and North America, as well as Australia.
Praying mantises thrive in tropical and subtropical climates. Insects live in steppes, deserts and meadows. The only reason they leave their habitat is lack of food.
Most species of mantises are active during the daytime.
What do praying mantises eat?
These arthropods are predators, so they mainly feed on other insects. Predators hunt flies, mosquitoes, bees, bumblebees, butterflies, beetles and cockroaches.
The largest representatives of this order attack small amphibians, birds and rodents.
How do praying mantises reproduce?
In insects, the transformation cycle is not complete. Mantises are characterized by sexual demorphism. Those that live in the tropics breed year-round. For inhabitants of the temperate climate zone, the breeding season begins with the onset of autumn.
Males look for females to mate with. They dance a ritual dance so that their partner does not see them as her food. In order for offspring to appear, the process of fertilization is required.
When a female praying mantis lays unfertilized eggs, they become nymphs.
Often the male dies after fertilization. The partner eats it, thereby replenishing its supply of nutrients.
There are varieties in which the male praying mantis remains alive after fertilization.
The female lays eggs on trees or tall grass. She has to squeeze them out of her ovipositor.
With the help of a sticky secretion from special glands, it protects the fertilized eggs, which end up in a kind of capsule. The female, depending on the variety, can lay 10-400 eggs.
The capsule or edema can be of various shades from light yellow to gray. After laying eggs, the females soon die. Praying mantis larvae hatch from eggs at varying intervals - from 3 weeks to 6 months.