Return of the Mantid

Meet Mantis religiosa – the Praying mantis or European mantis. Named for prominent front legs that fold together suggesting prayer – this is a fascinating member of the insect world. This specimen was just under a couple of inches in length sporting bright green coloration.  The size suggests that this is a male.

The life stages of this large insect include egg, nymph, and adult. Egg masses overwinter attached to twigs, hose bibs, deer stand ladders or anything else above the snowline. They hatch in late spring and the nymphs are dispersed by the wind or eat one another. Depending-upon the species, survivors grow larger as they molt 5-10 times before reaching the adult stage. After the final molt, the wings on most species appear, while some remain wingless. One generation matures by late summer or early autumn.

Praying mantises possess stereo vision (they see in 3D) and thanks to the placement of their eyes, they also have a wide field of vision. They’re also the only insect capable of turning their head from side to side without moving the rest of the body. This is an advantage when hunting - allowing for minimal movement when stalking prey.

This critter is a carnivore and dines-upon live food. As a gardener I suppose this presents an opportunity for helpful pest control but as prey generalists they also eat beneficial insects like bees and butterflies. Besides, their propensity for cannibalism keeps their numbers few and far between.

Around 90% of the predatory species of mantises participate in sexual cannibalism.  Adult males typically outnumber females at first, but their numbers may be fairly equivalent later in the adult stage.  This is possibly a consequence of females selectively chowing on the smaller males.  The female may begin feeding by biting off the male's head (as they do with regular prey).  If mating has commenced prior to the beheading the male's movements may become even more vigorous in its delivery of sperm.

In many cultures a mantid is a symbol of stillness. And as a consequence it is associated with meditation and calming of the mind.

 

Prayerful Predator

Meet Mantis religiosa – the Praying mantis or European mantis. Named for prominent front legs that fold together suggesting prayer – this is a fascinating member of the insect world. This specimen was just over a couple of inches in length sporting bright green coloration.

The life stages of this large insect include egg, nymph, and adult. Egg masses overwinter attached to twigs, hose bibs, deer stand ladders or anything else above the snowline. They hatch in late spring and the nymphs are dispersed by the wind or eat one another. Depending-upon the species, survivors grow larger as they molt 5-10 times before reaching the adult stage. After the final molt, the wings on most species appear, while some remain wingless. One generation matures by late summer or early autumn.

Praying mantises possess stereo vision (they see in 3D) and thanks to the placement of their eyes, they also have a wide field of vision. They’re also the only insect capable of turning their head from side to side without moving the rest of the body. This is an advantage when hunting - allowing for minimal movement when stalking prey.

This critter is a carnivore and dines-upon live food. As a gardener I suppose this presents an opportunity for helpful pest control but as prey generalists they also eat beneficial insects like bees and butterflies. Besides, their propensity for cannibalism keeps their numbers few and far between.

The adult female praying mantis has a reputation for biting-off the head of the male eating him after or during mating. This coital cannibalism doesn’t happen all the time although research suggests that females who engage in this behavior produce more eggs than those who do not.  

In many cultures a mantid is a symbol of stillness. And as a consequence it is associated with meditation and calming of the mind.

A Predator of Another Species

Guests know that if they are observant there is a fairly high probability of discovering a hard papier-mâché-like blob approximately an inch across attached to something around here.  They’re found on everything from a hose bib to a ladder on a deer stand.       

It is called an ootheca and it is an egg mass belonging to the praying mantis.  And one of them hatched recently.      

In many cultures a mantid is a symbol of stillness.  And as a consequence it is associated with meditation and calming of the mind.  I associate it with the patience of a predator that keeps my garden free of insect pests.  Analogous to the stealthiest of bow hunters.        

click on the mantid for a closer look

 

In another exercise in retirement situational awareness I found this critter clinging for dear life as I raised the overhead door of the machine shed.         

About 2 cm. in length it easily negotiated the forest of arm hairs before release to the garden.

Ootheca

click on image to enlarge

An ootheca /oʊ.əˈθiːkə/ (pl. oothecae /oʊ.əˈθiːsiː/) - is a Latinized combination of oo-, meaning "egg", from the Greek word ōon (cf. Latin ovum), and theca, meaning a "cover" or "container", from the Greek theke.   Ootheke is Greek for ovary.  

An ootheca is a type of egg mass formed by a protein secretion that hardens into a tough casing for protection.  The egg mass on the trail camera strap above is from a praying mantis.  I'm saving it in a cold, dark place for my pal Six Deuce to hatch into baby mantids this spring.

Side note concerning the foreplay that led to this resulting egg mass.  Around 90% of the predatory species of mantises participate in sexual cannibalism.  Adult males typically outnumber females at first, but their numbers may be fairly equivalent later in the adult stage.  This is possibly a consequence of females selectively chowing on the smaller males.  The female may begin feeding by biting off the male's head (as they do with regular prey).  If mating has commenced prior to the beheading the male's movements may become even more vigorous in its delivery of sperm.  

Mating rituals in the mantis world are engaged-in at great personal peril...

Source: Wikipedia