PRAYING MANTIS

Jack Schmidling Productions, Inc.
18016 Church Road ~ Marengo IL 60152
Phone:815 923 0031 ~ Email:arf@mc.net

Probably the most striking looking insect in the world is the Praying Mantis. There are several species native to North America but they are mostly tropical with a few species in the Southeastern US. The most common being the Carolina Mantis.

This image is of the Chineese Mantis which was brought into this country in the early 1900's. In addition to it's unusual praying posture, the mantis is the only insect capable of looking over it's shoulder. It's head is articulated to the body much like people so it can swivel it around to get a better view.

It is most disconcerting to walk down the path and see one looking at me, head following as I walk past. This one is clearly looking at the camera.

Mantids are voracious preditors, primarily of insects and insect larvae. I saw one once with a little toad in its grasp which I of course rescued.

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Egg Case

In Fall, the female builds cocoon out of something like paper mache and lays her eggs inside.

The cocoon over-winters and the eggs hatch out in spring. The frayed material dribbling out of the left side of this cocoon indicates a successful hatchout.

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Hatchlings

We brought an egg case in and put it into the bughouse for the Winter and in June, there were tiny mantids all over the screen sides.

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