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LorenYork β€” Praying Mantis

Published: 2006-01-22 20:53:56 +0000 UTC; Views: 1605; Favourites: 23; Downloads: 61
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Description Praying mantids (or praying mantises), are carnivorous insects that belong to the family Mantidae. There are about 2,000 species of mantids. The biggest praying mantises are the Tenodera and the Archimantis, which are six inches long. This particular mantis is 4.5 inches long. The smallest praying mantis is the Bolbe pygmaea, which is only 2/5 of an inch, or one centimeter.

Their colors vary, ranging from light greens to pinks. Most mantids are pea green or brown. The tropical flower mantises, which resemble flowers, are usually light colors such as pink. Flower mantises, from Africa or the Far East, so closely resemble flowers that insects will often land on them to get nectar.

They have a triangular-shaped head with a large compound eye on each side. Praying mantids are the only insect that turns from side to side in a full 180 degree angle. Their eyes are sensitive to the slightest movement up to 60 feet away. They have straight, leathery forewings and very powerful jaws used for devouring their prey. They have ultrasound ears on their Metathoraxes. The Metathorax is located on the thorax. Male mantids genitalia are asymmetrical. They have a long prothorax and strong, spiny front legs held together in a praying manner.

Nearly 2,000 species of mantids are widely distributed throughout tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate areas of the world. The praying mantis is a carnivorous insect that takes up a deceptively humble posture when it is searching for food. When at rest, the mantis’ front forelegs are held up together in a posture that looks like its praying. These front legs are equipped with rows of sharp spines used to grasp its prey. When potential prey comes close enough, the mantis thrusts its forelegs forward to catch it. The mantid bites the neck of its prey to paralyse it. They almost always start eating while the insect is still alive and almost always starts eating from the neck; this way, the insect's struggle stops quickly.

Praying mantises eat insects and other invertebrates such as other mantises, beetles, butterflies, spiders, crickets and grasshoppers. The praying mantises also eat vertebrates such as small tree frogs, lizards, mice and hummingbirds.

The name "mantis" comes from the Greek word for 'prophet' or 'soothsayer'.
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Comments: 38

TickleTron2000 [2016-09-02 14:54:33 +0000 UTC]

"Heard you were talkin' shit..."

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baboletale [2008-03-18 11:53:59 +0000 UTC]

i love them . check mine :thumb80226655:

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Konoko88 [2007-07-29 18:54:59 +0000 UTC]

LOL, very funny!

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Dandemonium [2006-08-09 17:33:51 +0000 UTC]

Dude, that thing's giving you the Clint Eastwood eye, you'd better drop the camera and run

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LorenYork In reply to Dandemonium [2006-08-09 18:15:35 +0000 UTC]

Hahaha

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johncirus [2006-01-26 23:34:36 +0000 UTC]

huhuhuhhu this insect say me "hey hey i eat u " lol

good work

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LorenYork In reply to johncirus [2006-01-26 23:55:27 +0000 UTC]

heeheehee...

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Apophis906 [2006-01-23 07:13:02 +0000 UTC]

Very cool close mantid shot. Love mantids, some of the coolest insects their are. I love to pick them up and hold them when I find one, as well as try to take some photos,lol.

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LorenYork In reply to Apophis906 [2006-01-23 09:46:36 +0000 UTC]

how big are they where you are, and have you ever heard of them biting?

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Apophis906 In reply to LorenYork [2006-01-23 17:27:47 +0000 UTC]

well they are around an inch to the 6 or so inch ones. I tend to hold the ones that are around the 3 to 4 inch size,they are less worried about you. As for biting, they could,but never had one do it. More likely to slap at you than anything.

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LorenYork In reply to Apophis906 [2006-01-23 17:30:02 +0000 UTC]

Haha yeah. The one I captured was really furious!

My dad was telling my a story about how his mother was gardening in Pittsburgh many years ago (probably 20+ years ago) and she was pulling out weeds and she really grabbed a hold of one that bit her pretty hard... He didn't remember how big it was but he thinks it'd be at least 4 inches...

I like when people tell me stories, especially if they're true and in context

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Apophis906 In reply to LorenYork [2006-01-23 18:16:18 +0000 UTC]

When I was younger, was hanging out with some friends, and saw one. It was one of the really big ones, it was I would say over 6inches. Well it was standing on its hind legs in a defensive mode,cause a bird keep comming at him to try and get him. Needless to say the bird didnt get him, cause he would swat at the bird,and the bird would fly away,lol.

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LorenYork In reply to Apophis906 [2006-01-23 18:37:30 +0000 UTC]

Yeah. If I see a juvenile - if I see one at all, in fact - I might capture it and grow it. Power-feed it... See how big I can get it...

That'd be fantastic, I think...

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Apophis906 In reply to LorenYork [2006-01-23 18:38:35 +0000 UTC]

Oh yeah, they will get big,but only the females get the biggest. The males will stay small,since they usually end up getting eatten by a female,lol.

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LorenYork In reply to Apophis906 [2006-01-23 18:39:32 +0000 UTC]

I'm going to do more research. Maybe I can get the local wildlife people to help me find one

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Apophis906 In reply to LorenYork [2006-01-23 18:42:51 +0000 UTC]

Thats a great idea,and thats what google is for as well,lol.

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katy-did [2006-01-23 05:02:48 +0000 UTC]

these guys are amazing..
haven't seen one in like 10 years too

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LorenYork In reply to katy-did [2006-01-23 09:47:11 +0000 UTC]

mmm

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ycomet [2006-01-23 01:38:42 +0000 UTC]

It is a very complete and scientifical piece about the specimen! I will store this for future reference, if you don't mind
I would say that one is beeing kept in captivity. The lighting seems rather artificial. Am I right?...

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LorenYork In reply to ycomet [2006-01-23 03:06:27 +0000 UTC]

Yes. I caught this one and brought it inside - the light is the soft anti-red-eye flash on my camera. The photo is taken through a glass. I released it afterwards

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ycomet In reply to LorenYork [2006-01-23 20:10:46 +0000 UTC]

Oh I thought you had been to some place where they kept example specimens in cages for experiments or academic activities .
That's what a good photographer does: captures what he sees without interfering

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quicksimon [2006-01-22 22:42:15 +0000 UTC]

My dad spent ages trying to get one of those out of his bedroom before in went to sleep in spain once!! ha ha!! Cool capture and fair play, you know your insects!!

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LorenYork In reply to quicksimon [2006-01-23 03:07:43 +0000 UTC]

haha thanks mate. google knows their insects. Haha

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quicksimon In reply to LorenYork [2006-01-23 13:23:12 +0000 UTC]

google rocks

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Tarrina [2006-01-22 21:02:55 +0000 UTC]

That's really cool!
I used to have a whole bunch of these guys around my house. they're so cute after they hatch out of their egg cases.

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LorenYork In reply to Tarrina [2006-01-22 21:06:50 +0000 UTC]

I've never actually seen a juvenile... apparently they lay up to 400 eggs!
Thanks for the compliment

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Bluefiresylvermoon [2006-01-22 21:00:32 +0000 UTC]

wow, someone did some research
this is the 1st time i've actually seen a picture of a real praying mantis ^_^)

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LorenYork In reply to Bluefiresylvermoon [2006-01-22 21:04:01 +0000 UTC]

Hehe... Thanks for the fav on it, and thanks for the comment It's most certainly real! The picture was taken less than 4cm from its face! Heheh

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Bluefiresylvermoon In reply to LorenYork [2006-01-22 21:21:25 +0000 UTC]

would they attack - well, more likely bite a human?

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LorenYork In reply to Bluefiresylvermoon [2006-01-23 04:04:54 +0000 UTC]

i have no idea i wasn't taking the chance though. haha...
i've seen plenty of pictures on google where people have a mantis no their fingers, but this was a big one (4.5 inches long) unlike the ones on google which were normally about an inch.
i dont know if size would turn mandibles into jaws haha

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Fishstix1011 [2006-01-22 20:58:07 +0000 UTC]

I like the composition of the piece in general. It is an interesting subject matter, an endangered insect at that. However I only wish that there was more focus in the rest of the body, such as it is in the face. I still find it a good piece which captures an image of something many people have not had an oppurtunity to see. Good job. Im gonna flip through your gallery.

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LorenYork In reply to Fishstix1011 [2006-01-22 21:01:50 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much for the comments and compliments! I hope you enjoy my gallery

Until I did some reading on this insect, I didn't know anything about it, except what I was told by a few people - that being a) they were carniverous, and b) they had a very painful bite. I'm still unsure about the bite, so focus was difficult, as it was taken through a glass. (I captured it, photographed it, then released it)

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Fishstix1011 In reply to LorenYork [2006-01-23 14:41:54 +0000 UTC]

Yeah they grab animals in their claws and eat them... youre very lucky to find them, they are after all endangered, and therefore I am somewhat envious.

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LorenYork In reply to Fishstix1011 [2006-01-23 15:54:24 +0000 UTC]

I'm just glad I got a great shot of it...
They aren't so rare in my area. I see one perhaps every month but its always an adult.

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Fishstix1011 In reply to LorenYork [2006-01-24 14:44:08 +0000 UTC]

I used to love bugs when i was younger... i only have seen one mantis. I live in the northeast of the US so it was kinda bizzare seeing one. My friend actually stamped on it and i yelled at him about it, seeing as the are endangered...

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LorenYork In reply to Fishstix1011 [2006-01-24 15:24:20 +0000 UTC]

awh...

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Fishstix1011 In reply to LorenYork [2006-01-24 15:32:52 +0000 UTC]

People just like to play god, which is why the world can be such a terrible place. but yeh its sad

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Fishstix1011 In reply to LorenYork [2006-01-24 15:32:48 +0000 UTC]

People just like to play god, which is why the world can be such a terrible place. but yeh its sad

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