9 Types of Praying Mantis
19.07.2024 - 21:16
/ treehugger.com
Mantises are something of an eccentric in the world of insects. The males can fly, but more often they move slowly among shrubs and flowers. They can be fearsome hunters but usually wait for their prey to find them.
There are more than 2,000 types of praying mantis. They are hyper-adapted to their environments and each has the looks and skills to thrive in their corner of the world. They all share distinctive bent forelegs and long abdomens, but each has singular adaptations that make the praying mantis a fearsome hunter and elusive prey.
Boasting odd spikes, bold stripes, and spot-on mimicry, these nine mantis species have some of nature's best camouflage.
Cathy Keifer / Getty Images
The spiny flower mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii) hails from Sub-Saharan Africa and features prominent eyespots on its wings to deter predators.It grows between one and two inches—making it one of the smaller mantis species—but it is still a capable predator. The intricate spikes and dappled green-and-white coloration it sports blend into the surrounding flora so well that some insects will attempt to pollinate them, which ends in a meal for the mantis rather than successful pollination.
Hillary Kladke / Getty Images
The devil's flower mantis (Idolomantis diabolica) is another species native to Sub-Saharan Africa, but one that grows to a much larger size. Adult females, larger than males, can be five inches long, making it one of the largest types of mantis varieties. Males tend to be smaller, around four inches in length.A defining characteristic is its defensive display, in which it raises its forelegs to reveal a stark black-and-white underside and appears larger than it truly is.Thanks to its intense coloration and dramatic
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