Stick Mantis

Stick Mantis or twig mantis is a common name applies to a number of praying mantises species in various genera, that mimic sticks or twigs. So far, I have encountered only one species of stick mantis in our area, may be because they camouflage so well.

Stick Mantis

Praying Mantis Eggs

Praying Mantis Egg

After mating the female lays 10 to 400 eggs, depending on the species. Eggs are typically deposited in a frothy mass that is produced by glands in the abdomen. This froth then hardens to form a papery like case to protect praying mantis eggs inside. The praying mantis egg case is know by a number of names including ootheca, egg pods or egg sack or egg sac.  Different species of praying mantis have different types of egg cases. Below are some pictures of different types of praying mantis cases.

Praying Mantis Eggs

Bark Mantis

Bark Mantis is a common name used for various species of praying mantis. They got the name "Bark mantis" from the fact that they camouflage to resemble tree bark.

Bark Mantis

Praying Mantis Hatching

Praying Mantis Hatching Pictures

Praying Mantis Babies Hatching Video

Praying Mantis Mating

Praying Mantis Mating

What Do Praying Mantis Eat?

What do Praying Mantis eat? Praying mantises are carnivorous insects. They eat insects and other invertebrates including crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, butterflies, moths, flies, spiders and even other mantises. The large species of praying mantises even eat vertebrates including small frogs, lizards, mice, small birds and nestlings. Baby praying mantises also eat aphids.

What Do Praying Mantis Eat?

Praying Mantis Eating a Grasshopper

Baby Praying Mantis

It seems that the weather this year was very favorable for praying mantises and that is why there are a lot of baby praying mantises every where. It's very difficult to recognize the correct species of praying mantis by seeing their babies, as the babies may have different color or pattern from their parents. The baby praying mantis look very similar to adult praying mantis, but is small and wingless.

Baby Praying Mantis

Praying Mantis Life Cycle

After mating the female praying mantis lay eggs in a frothy mass, which harden over time to protect eggs and is called egg case or ootheca. The egg case is laid about 1 to 7 days after mating. The Egg case contains several hundred eggs, which grown into nymphs inside the egg case. The nymphs emerge from egg case in about 20-25 days depending on temperature. In cold weather development may take several months. The Nymphs resemble the grown up praying mantis in shape, but are smaller, wingless and may have different color. They molt several time before reaching to maturity.

Praying Mantis Life Cycle

Praying Mantis Babies Hatching Video

Jeweled Flower Mantis-Creobroter gemmatus

The Jeweled Flower Mantis (Creobroter gemmatus) is a species of mantis in the family Mantidae, genus Creobroter. The females have a body length of about 45mm and the males, which are slightly shorter have a body length of about 40mm. Below you see the pictures of a female Jeweled Flower Mantis and the egg case produced by it.

Jeweled Flower Mantis-Creobroter gemmatus

Jeweled Flower Mantis With Prey

Jeweled Flower Mantis Egg Sac

Jeweled Flower Mantis Egg Sac

Praying Mantis with Prey

Praying Mantis with Prey

Small Brown Praying Mantis

This Small Brown Praying Mantis from Pakistan was finally identified as Unicorn Boxer Mantis (Hestiasula brunneriana) by a user of What's that Bug? While in rest it grasping front legs and abdomen are attached with thorax in such a way that it looks like an oval.

Small Brown Praying Mantis

Praying Mantis Larvae

I have kept some praying mantis egg pods on the hope that some babies praying mantis will come out from them in the spring or early summer. So I decided to cut one of them to see praying mantis larvae. I took some photos to serve my visitors, who often visit my blog to see praying mantis larvae. Actually these are undeveloped nymphs.

Praying Mantis Larvae

Praying Mantis Pictures

Praying Mantis is a common name for the insects in the order Mantodea (or mantises, mantes). The order Mantodea consists of about 15 families, 430 genera and 2,400 species. Praying mantises are predatory insects that while at rest folds its front legs as if in prayer. They are also called preying mantises because of their predatory habits.

Praying Mantis Pictures

Tiny Brown Praying Mantis