Mantises are deadly hunters.
Being stealthy, armed with large claws, and capable of lightning fast movement, they are the scariest predators you could imagine—if you were the size of a cricket!Mantises are deadly hunters. Being stealthy, armed with large claws, and capable of lightning fast movement, they are the scariest predators you could imagine—if you were the size of a cricket! More than 2400 species of mantis occur world wide, and are distributed across the tropical, subtropical and warm temperate areas of the world. They are ambush predators that rely on camouflage to hide themselves.
Most species are coloured to match their surroundings, with greens and browns being the most common colours, though some even mimick bright flowers! They catch butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, crickets, ants, beetles, flies, and cockroaches, but the largest species in the Americas are known to catch small hummingbirds and frogs.
Mantises are armed with formidable claws capable of stretching out and grabbing victims. With serrated edges and large spines that penetrate and grip their prey, these extraordinary structures extend and retract in a fraction of a second, drawing prey towards powerful mandibles that are capable of quickly dismembering victims. The world’s mantises come in a spectrum of colours and forms.
Mantises make fascinating pets, and some species will live for up to one year. Watch the video below and take a look at the downloadable caresheet for further details!
