Praying Mantis

 
  
Our Grayson Office Manager, Kelly, took these photos of a praying mantis outside her window.

Praying mantises get their name from their typical "prayer-like" stance. Ironically, the word "mantis" comes from the Greek word for "prophet." Mantises are sometimes confused with grasshoppers and crickets, but their closest relatives are actually termites and cockroaches!

Praying Mantis is often misspelled "preying" mantis, but this name also fits them because they are natural predators.  Mantises mostly prey on  insects, however, they will eat anything small enough to capture and devour.  Some known victims have been scorpions, lizards, frogs, birds, snakes, fish, and small rodents.  They will wait on their prey to come close and then ambush it.  They catch their prey with their spiked forelegs, and this reflex is so quick it is almost difficult to see with the naked eye! 


Green and brown are typical colors of the mantis which helps it stay  camouflaged.  When a mantis feels threatened, it will stand tall and spread it's wings to look bigger and more threatening.  Although they can bite, a mantis  has no venom.

Some other interesting facts about mantises are:
They have a triangular head with large compound eyes.
They can turn their heads 180 degrees.
Some martial arts styles mimic the mantis.
Some gardeners uses mantises as a form of natural pest control.
The European Mantis is the state insect of Connecticut.
They often engage in cannibalism especially during mating.

Whether it's the graceful stance or the alien-like head, the praying mantis is certainly a fascinating creature!