Insect Predator

Yesterday I was watering the flowers in the back yard, and got a pleasant surprise. A 2 1/2" praying mantis popped up to get dry. He posed for a little while for me to snap some pics of him - like this one. Note the water droplets on him from when I misted the flowers he was amongst.


Many people fear these beneficial predators, even though there is no reason to. They are a little strange-looking, but looks should never be a reason to think negatively of anything (or anybody). They do their best to rid us of many true pests.

From www.insecta-inspecta.com:
"Praying mantises are about 2/5-12 inches according to species. Their colors vary, ranging from light greens to pinks. Most mantids are pea green or brown.

"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. They wait unmoving and are almost invisible on a leaf or a stem, ready to catch any insect that passes. When potential prey comes close enough, the mantis thrusts its pincher-like forelegs forward to catch it. The prey probably won't escape because the forelegs are so strong and armed with overlapping spines. The mantid bites the neck of its prey to paralyze it and begins to devour it. The mantis almost always starts eating the insect while it's still alive, and almost always starts eating from the insect's neck. This way, the mantis makes sure that the insect's struggle stops quickly. Praying mantises eat insects and other invertebrates such as other mantises, beetles, butterflies, spiders, crickets, grasshoppers, and even spiders. The praying mantises also eat vertebrates such as small tree frogs, lizards, mice and hummingbirds. Praying mantids can resemble flowers and can catch small, unknowing hummingbirds. Praying mantids also eat other nesting birds."

(Photo from birdwatchersdigest.com)

Naturally, it's the larger ones that can prey on the larger critters. The biggest one I've ever seen was about 4 or 5" long, in the Eastern US. Again, praying mantises are not to be feared, but welcomed.