Taken from my OverGrow thread
Praying Mantids (or Mantis, "Mantids" refer to the whole group and Mantis refers to a specific few) are ultimate killing machines and will destroy any bad bugs on your plants. They're one of the best all-purpose predator bugs to have on your plants.
Mantids are variable insects in sizes ranging from 15mm in length to whopping beasts at around 15+cm in length, their diet consists of insects mostly but the larger species are quite capable of taking out small lizards, birds and mice without any difficulties. Typically the life span of a praying mantis is a 'season' from where they originally come from, this is usually between 3 and 9 months although some specimens can live for over 12 months. The average life expectancy of a typical African praying mantis is around 6 months as a freshly molted adult (kept March - November).
The mantis is a very useful insect to have in your garden; it eats flies, caterpillars, grasshoppers, roaches, and other pests.
The two front legs of the mantids are highly specialized. When hunting mantids assume a "praying" position, folding the legs under their head. They use the front legs to strike out and capture their prey. Long sharp spines on the upper insides of these legs allow them to hold to 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.
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 male's head. The body of the male is capable of completing the mating, when complete the female will finish eating the male.
One or two pics.. There were lots more!
Praying Mantids (or Mantis, "Mantids" refer to the whole group and Mantis refers to a specific few) are ultimate killing machines and will destroy any bad bugs on your plants. They're one of the best all-purpose predator bugs to have on your plants.
Mantids are variable insects in sizes ranging from 15mm in length to whopping beasts at around 15+cm in length, their diet consists of insects mostly but the larger species are quite capable of taking out small lizards, birds and mice without any difficulties. Typically the life span of a praying mantis is a 'season' from where they originally come from, this is usually between 3 and 9 months although some specimens can live for over 12 months. The average life expectancy of a typical African praying mantis is around 6 months as a freshly molted adult (kept March - November).
The mantis is a very useful insect to have in your garden; it eats flies, caterpillars, grasshoppers, roaches, and other pests.
The two front legs of the mantids are highly specialized. When hunting mantids assume a "praying" position, folding the legs under their head. They use the front legs to strike out and capture their prey. Long sharp spines on the upper insides of these legs allow them to hold to 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.
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 male's head. The body of the male is capable of completing the mating, when complete the female will finish eating the male.
One or two pics.. There were lots more!
