Mantodea (or mantises) is an order of insects that contains approximately 2,200 species in 15 families worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. A colloquial name for the order is “praying mantises”, because of the typical “prayer-like” stance, although the term is often misspelled as “preying mantis” since mantises are predatory. [Source]
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mantises have two grasping, spiked forelegs (“raptorial legs”) in which prey items are caught and held securely. Located at the base of the femur are a set of spines, usually four in number but ranging from zero to as many as five depending on the species. These spines are preceded by a number of tooth-like tubercles, which give the foreleg of the mantis its grasp on its prey. [Source]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The articulation of the head is also remarkably flexible, permitting nearly 300 degrees of movement in some species, allowing for a great range of vision (their compound eyes may contain up to 10,000 ommatidia and have a large binocular field of vision), as their hunting relies heavily on vision. [Source]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If not wingless, a mantis will have two sets of wings: the outer wings, called the foreseeing or tegmina, are usually narrow, opaque, and leathery and function as camouflage and as a shield for the inner wings, or hindwings– it is this much more delicate, broad, and transparent set that is actually used for flight. [Source]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mantises are exclusively predatory. Insects form the primary diet, but larger species have been known to prey on small scorpions, lizards,frogs, birds, snakes, fish, and even rodents; they will prey upon any species small enough to successfully capture and devour. Most species of mantis are known to engage in cannibalism. The majority of mantises are ambush predators, waiting for prey to stray too near. The mantis then lashes out at remarkable speed. [Source]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Generally, mantises protect themselves by camouflage and concealment. When directly threatened, many mantis species stand tall and spread their forelegs, with their wings fanning out wide. The fanning of the wings makes the mantis seem larger and more threatening, with some species having bright colors and patterns on their hind wings and inner surfaces of their front legs for this purpose. [Source]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As in related insect groups, mantises go through three stages of metamorphosis: egg, nymph, and adult (mantises are among thehemimetabolic insects). The nymph and adult insect are structurally quite similar, except that the nymph is smaller and has no wings or functional genitalia. The nymphs are also sometimes colored differently from the adult, and the early stages are often mimics of ants. [Source]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In tropical species, the natural lifespan of a mantis in the wild is about 10–12 months, but some species kept in captivity have been sustained for 14 months. In colder areas, females will die during the winter (as well as any surviving males). [Source]