Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Praying Mantis, The Deadly Predator

By: Tom Berg

Even though it is wintertime right now, spring will be here before you know it and with the warmer weather will come a plethora of insects. One insect that should be feared by all others is the fierce praying mantis.  The praying mantis is named for its large front legs which are typically held together as if it is praying. In reality, those front legs are used to capture smaller insects with lightning-fast strikes. Their legs are equipped with fearsome spines for capturing prey and pinning it in place.

Praying mantis insects are well camouflaged and are usually green or brown in color (or green/brown).  They prefer to lie in ambush or slowly stalk other insects as they blend in with the surrounding vegetation. Their small, triangular heads are equipped with two very large compound eyes which helps them see their prey extremely well.

Although adult praying mantises are large and look pretty awkward, their looks are deceiving. They have well-developed wings which allow them to fly with ease, and their agility is amazing. They can jump fairly long distances and land with amazing precision, especially when hunting.

Praying mantises often appear to be slow-moving when creeping along the ground or among vegetation, but they are not lethargic. They actually have a high metabolism which requires them to eat all day long. In fact, they are always hungry! Gardeners can take advantage of this fact and use praying mantises as an effective form of organic pest control. These eating machines can consume huge quantities of aphids, mites, grasshoppers, ants, caterpillars, beetles and other garden pests.

One interesting fact about the praying mantis is that they are known to exhibit cannibalistic behavior at times. Females will sometimes kill and eat their male mate right after mating, and occasionally they even kill him during mating. It’s a very dangerous world out there!

Have you done something interesting outdoors? Join Global Outdoors and write a review to tell everyone about it! We’re building the home for trusted reviews of outdoor experiences, outfitters, and guides