Grasslike Mantis
(04/20/2006) whats this bug? walking stick?
It looks like a walking stick but it has wings and only 4 legs. Could this be something else? I found it on my house this afternoon. I live in Ocean Springs, MS.
Andrew



Hi Andrew,
This appears to be a Grasslike Mantis, Thesprotia graminis, a winged male. It is a southern species that is often confused for a Walkingstick.

Mantis and Cicada
(04/13/2006) some photos for you
I happened across your web site today. I enjoyed all the pictures and letters. I though I'd send a few of my own bug pictures. The first few are obvious, they were found on the wall in front of my house. The second pair I happened to open the front door and posing prettily on my door was this Praying Mantis. They are very patient creatures I can say. I went in and out the door a few times and it never even budged. The last is one of my favorites. I was cutting the grass in the back yard and had to re-fuel the weed whacker. When I bent down to put gas in it I looked and this most wondrous site of a Cicada drying it's wings after leaving it"s larvae shell. Most wondrous indeed! Summer is coming, I will surely take some more and pass them along if you'd like.
Benz in Gilbertsville PA



Hi Benz,
Thanks for sending in your photos. We especially like the mantis photo with the view of the yard.

Mantis Hatchlings
(04/02/2006) Baby Mantids
Hi Bugman!
I spotted this wonderful phenomena yesterday in our backyard and took pictures - just hatched baby praying mantids! I wanted more information about what they eat and found your wonderful website. I noticed you have plenty of adult pictures and egg casings, so I thought you may appreciate some baby pictures. I spotted what I believe was probably mum about 3 weeks ago. She was brown and about 20cm long. I am hoping these babies hatched in the right season. We are in autumn now in Australia - will they be okay? Regards,
Renae
(Perth, Western Australia)



Hi Renae,
Thanks for the great photo. As long as you don't get snow, and we don't believe you get snow, the young mantids should be fine.

Preying Mantis Oothica
(03/18/2006) Praying Mantis Egg Case
Hi Bugman,
I thought that you would like this picture of the egg case that I found in the woods across the street from my house. How many praying Mantis nymphs do you think will come out of this egg case? I live in Wayne County Michigan. I love your website!
Thanks.
Jacob Barnaby Age (9)
The Barnaby Family



Hi Jacob,
Several hundred young mantids will emerge from your Oothica when the temperature is correct.

Mantid From India
(03/12/2006) Another Indian Mantis
Similar to Rohan's Pink Mottled Indian Mantid which I found in your site is this beauty I found outside my door in Chennai, Southern India, last night. I very much regret, having been something of an insect lover all my life, that India has turned me into a mass murderer, and that I am using UV killers to despatch the many, many mosquitoes that otherwise make my life hell. It is interesting though, that the one on the landing outside my door quickly became part of the local eco-system: on day one it was full of bodies. Ever after it has been full of ants! Hey guys! New meat shop just opened up! This fellow (or lady?) too, seems to have realised that it is a good thing to sit near to catch things that fly to it. How about the length of that neck? How about the leaf-like detail on the legs and head? Utterly wonderful! I'm calling it Leaf Mantis: got a proper name for it? Just been told about your site. It's fantastic. I'll be back! One more question: what is the difference between a bug and a beetle?
Thank You!
Nick H.
Chennai, India



Hi Nick,
Thanks for your great letter and beautiful photo. Sorry, we don't know what species of Mantid you have. Exotica is often very difficult to properly identify because of the dearth of information available. Beetles have complete metamorphosis and chewing mouthparts. True Bugs have incomplete metamorphosis and sucking mouthparts.

Update (04/26/2006)
My letter pertains to the Praying Mantis section and the included requested identification of the 'Mantid From India'. The mantid is a male Gongylus gongylodes, or Wandering Violin Mantis. I came to this conclusion based on the long and pronounced antennae (much larger in males) and the long wings (cover the body and look capable of flight). Here is a link to a picture of a male: http://www.jjphoto.dk/animal_archive/gongylus_gongylodes.htm While I'm sure that positive identification is always difficult when dealing with foreign insects, enough of my friends have raised these that I feel confident that Gongylus gongylodes, is the species you're looking for. Awesome site by the way, I visit frequently.
Ian

Pink Mottled Indian Mantid
(02/04/2006) Identify this Indian mantis
Love the site. I'm in Madurai, South India, and mantids are very very common here. It's quite commonplace to see 3-4 different species in the course of a day. However, i have never seen a mantis such as this. This mantis was spotted late morning, hanging from a clothesline. It was about 3 inches in length, not including the antennae. As you can see, the body was mottled pink and green. However, I have never seen a mantis with such feathered antennae, which should be quite obvious from the pictures. Could you identify this mantis?
Rohan



Hi Rohan,
Though we can't give you a species name on your mantid, we are pleased to post the images. Perhaps someone will write in with an identification. Some tropical mantids are bright pink and mimic orchids and other flowers.

Update (04/27/2006)
I have a feeling that the other unknown indian mantis, the pinkish one, is a color variant of a member of the Family Empusidae, and the genus Empusa. However, without detailed pictures of the nymphs, I'm not sure I can tell the species. My guess would be species pennata, but I'm not sure if they are found in India. It's a male and its unusual coloration is probably a product of its environment (I've found even domestic praying mantis species have some active color mimicry capability after each molt) humidity and temperature also play a role. Incredible pictures, I hope this helped somewhat. Regards,
Ian

Update (06/15/2006)
The Indian mantis (the pink, feather-antennae one) is almost undoubtedly a color variant of a mantis that can be found at http://www.museumkiev.org/photo/empusa.jpg (the label is in Russian, I think), Empusa fasciata. Hope this helped,
Dylan Juedeman

Update (06/16/2006):
Hi the pink mottled Indian mantis is Empusa fasciata. They look very similar to Empusa pennata but live on the opposite side of the Meditteranean Sea.
john morfitt UK

Mantis Devours Ant: Food Chain
(01/26/2006) baby mantis
Hey, i just got this beauty the other day. I am so excited i started looking all over the place for more pictures and info on other matis! your website is incredible and the mantis pics are awsome! my friend took this picture of my baby eating a ant from the recycling bin. He just tore that thing in half! I also heard that if you take them out periodiically and let them walk on you they become more used to it as they get older, but the other day when i tried it jumped a good six inches to my other hand and i freaked out. Its so small, i dont want to loose it. Will they always jump like that and how should i keep it under control next time? Also, is there any way to tell what kind of mantis it is, or what it might look like when it matures?
sam



Hi Sam,
Mantises cannot be truly tamed. They will jump and when they mature and grow wings, they will fly away. We cannot tell exactly what species you have at this point. Thanks for the great image.

Mantis Threesome
(01/12/2006) Preying Mantids
I recently came across these pictures which I had taken with my digital camera in October 2005. I live in the pinelands in southern New Jersey and was excited to find these Preying Mantids on my mother's front porch. They sat still for a very long time, and didn't seem concerned at all with the ogling and maneuvering I did in my attempt to get some decent photographs of them. The strange thing to me is the fact that there were three of them involved (hard to see in one of the pictures), which I assume to be two males clutching one female. Maybe one fellow is waiting his turn? They appear to be very patient creatures... more patient than I since I didn't have time to stick around and see if she left any survivors.
Shari



Hi Shari,
Thank you for the great photos. This is the second Mantis Threesome we received this year, but the first submission were Mantids in captivity.

Raising Mantises as pets!!!
(01/01/2006) mantis news
Hello!
We just found your site and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am sending you some pictures of our mantises from this past year. Believe it or not, we have two that are still alive and kicking into 2006! One is about 2 inches long and the other is a giant mantis about 4 inches long. This year our smaller mantis laid 8 egg sacs and the larger one has laid 3 giant sacs. My daughter is a big mantis fan and has kept them for pets for the past few years. This is the longest we have had them survive. Most die in Nov or early December. Every year we learn new things. This year we had two males and one female and wanted to see what would happen with two... it was very interesting! As you can see in the picture, both got on her back and hung out there, waiting their turn, so to speak, and it actually looked as if they were communicating with each other while waiting... funny. It was hard to get a picture with the two of them but I did my best. Thanks for your site!
Christine and Elena



Hi Christine and Elena,
Thank you for your wonderful New Year's message. Your photos are a fabulous addition to our site.

Preying Mantises hatch from Christmas Trees!!!
(12/28/2005) Christmas Tree
Last night we saw what we thought were nymph praying mantis all over our living room near the Christmas tree. We bought the live tree 3 weeks ago and have had it decorated in our living room since. We live in Harrisburg PA, and over the last 2 days the temperature has risen 10°. We decided to take the tree down today since we found at least a hundred more. We put them in a glass jar with holes in the lid. I've always been told they were good luck and beneficial. My question is now, what do I do with them? I don't want to kill them and it is too cold to put them outside. My father has a horse on a farm and is willing to take them. I am sending a picture, too, although it isn't too clear. Thanks, I'll wait for your response.
Paula Werner



Hi Paula,
We have received about 10 similar letters, but yours is the only one with photos. Obviously, it is too cold to put them outside. You are correct that the indoor warmth caused them to hatch prematurely. If no other food source is provided, they will eat each other until only the most vigorous survive. A possible winter food source could be fruit flies, Drosophila, availabe in biological supply houses. They are used in biology classes and to teach genetics. Also, tropical fish breeders feed them to some fish. They are easy to raise.

Mantis Eggcase
(12/23/2005) Butterfly type?
Hi there,
its the start of winter here in Ontario and while walking along a creek the other day I found this on an old surveying stick. Its about 2.5 inches long by 1.5 wide and 1.5 deep, pretty fat for what I'm guessing is a butterfly pupae. It was found near Orangeville, Ontario if that helps at all. Sorry for the dark photo but it was more 'toffee' colored than the pic shows and quite scaly. Thanks. A great site that is really fun to scan through.
Andrew G. Bruce



Hi Andrew,
This is a Preying Mantis Eggcase and in the spring, several hundred mantidlings will emerge.

Carolina Mantis
(12/22/2005) mantis
Can you please identify this mantis for me. The photo was taken 11-16-2005 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Thanks. It is probably about 3 inches long.
Ron Evans
Tulsa, OK



Hi Ron,
This is a female Carolina Mantis, Stagmomantis carolina. The mantis is far more wide ranging than its name implies.

Grasslike Mantis
(12/17/2005) praying mantis
This is Maude, my pet praying mantis. I know that she is a female because she has laid about 6 or 7 small pinkish egg cases. I think she may be a grass-like mantis but I am not sure. I would really appreciate any info you have on her. I found her near my home in Lynn Haven, FL. near Panama City. By the way, I love this site!
Thanks
Rachel



Hi Rachel,
Maude is indeed a Grasslike Mantis, Thesprotia graminis. Other names include Grass Mantid, Grass Mantis, Walkingstick Mantis, and Walkingstick Mantid. This species is found in the Southern states. Males are winged and strong fliers. The posture of carrying the raptor front legs stretched out forward is characteristic of this mantis.

Mantis Dilemma
(12/16/2005) Praying Mantis egg case is where it should not be....
Help Bugman!
What do we do now?
As you know, we found this Praying Mantis around Thanksgiving day, and we decided to keep it because it was too cold to leave it outside. Well, today (December 16), I came home from work and found that she had just attached an egg case to the lid (metal mesh) of the terrarium that she is currently living inside. Isn't it kind of late in the season for her to be doing this? Anyway, if she had put the egg case on one of the vines, I could have taken it and hidden it outside in one of the bushes. But, instead, she had to go and stick it to this big metal lid. I know that if we keep this egg case inside the house where it is warm, a gazillion praying mantis babies will hatch sometime in January or February. It will be still way too cold for them to go outside and I doubt if we could keep them all alive. So, I know that it is important to get this egg case out of this warm house as soon as possible. Problem is, this lid is way too big to put in the refrigerator and too big to hide outside in our small bushes. First we saved the mom, now we have to find a way to preserve her offspring. (I've attached a picture of our dilemma). I'm not sure what to do about this. Any suggestions?
Mary Strong-Spaid



Hi again Mary,
We are sorry to hear that your kind deed is becoming a burden. First, mother Mantis will not live forever. You could try putting the entire terrarium outside after she dies. Perhaps a better solution is to pry the eggcase off of the screen and proceed with the plan to place it in the bushes. The eggcase is composed of an insulating foam and prying it off once it is hardened will not damage all of the eggs. You will then help to ensure the survival of the some of the offspring by postponing the hatching until there is a food supply. Good Luck.

Thanks for the advice on what to do with the egg case. I would really like to see the them around in the spring. We didn't want them accidently coming out into a winter world where there is not enough room or enough food. I assure you that our Praying Mantis, Martha (my husband named her), is not a burden! We have enjoyed having her with us for the past few weeks. We know that it won't be long now before she dies. We'll be sorry to see her go. Again, thanks for the help.
Mary

Female Mantid is a "Man Eater"
(Thanksgiving 2005) Mantid mating the killing mate
Bugman:
Thought you would like these photos for your sight. After 12 hours of constant copulation, the female bit off the males head, phallus, and ate him from the neck down. I have the entire sequence, but will send only 2 or three. These were taken with a Nikkon Cool Pix macro camera in sept 05
Ron Rogers



Hi Ron,
Sadly only one of your images arrived. We are very eager to get the whole image. Could you please resend them. This sex organ close-up is awesome.

Preying Mantis
(Thanksgiving 2005) what is this



A Preying Mantis

Mantis Rescue!!!
(11/23/2005) The Praying Mantis smile
On November 22, we found a very cold praying mantis outside laying on the ground. We brought the mantis inside and placed it on one of our houseplants to see if it would "warm up" and come back to life. It did. And then it got lost in the house. After we finally found it on top of a dining room curtain, we put it back down inside the plant. Then, I found a large bug in the back yard (I think it was a stinkbug?) and put it in front of the praying mantis. The praying mantis reached out, grabbed the bug, and ate it wings and all (head first). After it  (is it a she?) finished the bug, the praying mantis turned its head, looked at me, and "smiled". Hmmmm... Is the mantis smiling because it is grateful, or is it thinking "come a little closer my dear, your next on my menu....." Rather unnerving. I have nothing else to feed it. I think I am going to have to put it back outside! Happy Thanksgiving.
Mary Strong-Spaid



Hi Mary,
Your story is so sweet. You can always go to the pet store to buy crickets and keep your mantis as a pet. Seems a shame to shoo it into the cold.

(11/25/2005)
You are right. It would have been "a shame to shoo it into the cold". With snow flurries and 30 degree weather, the mantis wouldn't stand a chance. So, this morning we did go out and find some live crickets at the local pet store. Now, not only is the Praying Mantis still inside where it is warm...it is very, very happy. It sends its thanks on to you.
Mary Strong-Spaid

Mating Mantids and resulting Egg Case
(11/18/2005) Is this a good bug or bad bug?
Dear Bugman,
We have Praying Mantis' in our yard here in Rocklin (Sacramento) CA. Shortly after seeing they are getting ready for the winter we see this Cocoon or Crysalis (which is it?). Are these the eggs for the good bug, Praying Mantis, or do I need to get rid of these if they're a bad bug? Or, thirdly, are these good eggs for some other bug? Thanks for the insight and help as we decide to keep or eliminate this addition to the house this winter!
Larry in Rocklin CA.



Hi Larry,
We love your mating Mantis photo. The result of the coupling is the subject of your second photo, a Preying Mantis Egg Case. The female spews out a frothy substance with her eggs that hardens to protect them from inclement weather. Come spring, you will have 100's of baby Mantids emerging to rid your garden of unwanted, and occasionally beneficial, insects.

Brunner's Mantis
(11/13/2005) mantis
Hi Bugman,
We found this mantis in our garage on 9/28/05. Can you tell us what type of manits this is?
Thank You
Christa
Oklahoma City



Hi Christina,
We needed to check with Eric Eaton to be sure and this is his response: "Looks like another Brunner's mantis, but a female this time(?).  Another nice shot we could use on Bugguide.   Eric " We would like to ask your permission to post this on BugGuide as well, as per Eric's request.

Carolina Mantid: Gray Brown and Pale Green forms
(10/15/2005) found another interesting mantid
Caught this girl at work as well. Although not where I find the Brunner's at. I'm not too sure on this one but I was thinking it may be a grizzled mantis. On Brunner's mantis, I have collected 2 more specimens. One I caught last week and the 3rd today. I have let go all 3 here at the house in hopes of establishing a nice colony around here. We don't use pesticides and there are plenty of insects for them to feed on. Anyway, enjoy these pics of the new mantis. Let me know what it might be. Thanks again,
Steven Koenig



Hi again Steven,
Thanks for the Brunner's Mantis update. Be sure to let us know if the introduction works and you get a new generation next year. This is not a grizzled mantis, but a Carolina Mantid, Stagmomantis carolina. The wings do not extend to the tip of the abdomen, especially in the female, like your specimen. The Carolina Mantid is the state insect of South Carolina.

Green Carolina Mantid
(10/16/2005) here's another mantis Stagmo too??
First, Thanks for the info on the Gray Stagmo. Didn't know it was the state insect. Second, here are some pics of another mantis caught today at work. Is this one a Stagmo(except for this one's green)too? They seem to be popping out of nowhere at my place of work. They must have gotten wind of a better place to stay, LOL. Thanks again.
Steven

Hi Steven,
You are correct. The Carolina Mantid has both a brown and green form. This is one of the female mantids that is known for devouring her mate during the sex act.

Mantis Foreplay?
(10/12/2005) mating praying mantis
Hi there!
I appreciate your website!  It's been entertaining and informative!  I'm enclosing two photos (taken in mid September in Southeastern PA) of praying mantis mating or about to... they maintained this pose for at least 45 minutes.  I wanted to see if the female does indeed terminate the relationship by eating her mate but I had to go take care of the family (dinner time.) And so it goes...  Any information you could add would be helpful.
Thanks very much - Kristin



Hi Kristin,
Much of what we are about to say is speculation on your photograph. First, the female mantis does not always eat her mate, but it often happens. A wily male will escape. You photo does show a pair with the male on top and this must have something to do with mating. We suspect he has captured her, but is not in the proper position to do the deed. He needs to turn himself around without losing either his mate or his life. Guess we will never know if he succeeded.

African Mantis: Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii
(10/09/2005) strange looking mantis
Hi
I live in Swaziland in Southern Africa and saw a strangley patterned mantis this morning, maybe it is of some interest. (see pics attached)
Regards
Franc le Roux



Hi Franc,
We are struck by the asymetry of the pattern. What a lovely mantis.

Identified at last: Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii
(04/28/2006) Swaziland Mantis
The mantis with an unusual pattern on its back is Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii, I raise them myself. Attached is a L4 nymph of the same species in its threat pose. Feel free to crop the image.
Ian



Thank you so much Ian,
You have single-handedly identified all of our unidentified exotic Mantids. Next time we get one that stumps us, we plant to contact you. Thanks again.

Possibly Grasslike Mantis
(10/09/2005) Praying Mantis
Dear Bugman:
Thank you for your answer. What's praying mantis is this?. My son caught it on the tire of our car two weeks ago. Your Web-Page must win an Award because it is the Best Web-Page that I have ever seen to know more about insects, and every one of the Pictures are excellents. Congratulations !. Way to Go !.
Jorge Lopez Collado
College Station, Texas.



Thanks for the compliment Jorge,
We believe this might be a Grasslike Mantis in the Genus Thesprotia. We checked with Eric Eaton for confirmation and here is his answer: "Can't really tell.  Unless there is more than one species, though, Thesprotia  graminis is only found from FL to MS, according to Jacques, which may be outdated. "

Mantis Mating
(10/04/2005) dont know if you got this email before?
Hello Bugman,
I sent these back September 5, 05 but thought maybe you never got them as I have not heard anything so I thought id send them again, this time as a attachment. By the way your site is wonderful! Also I am pretty sure the spider is a golden Orb? We have Praying Mantis here every year and we just love them! I hate to see winter come and take them away, oh we are in Shinnston, WV. Anyway enjoy the pictures and if you can used any of them enjoy. Keep up the good work.
Brian



Hi Brian,
We love the mating Mantis photo. Sorry about not answering before, but it just isn't possible to even read all the mail. Your spider that is being devoured is a Golden Orb Weaver. Awesome pair of images.

Preying Mantis on Goldenrod
(10/04/2005) Pray to the Mantis
Hello Bug Master.
My daughter and I just found your wonderful site while searching for the name of a bug we commonly see in the northeast but didn't find the exact species so I will be sure to photograph it next time.  I thought everyone might enjoy these shots of this most majestic creature. I was walking in a field of golden rod and wild asparagus enjoying breathtaking views of the Hudson river under the Catskill mountains when my eyes focused on a cluster of brilliant goldenrod and I saw the largest Mantis I could imagine.  As I stood still watching in amazement I realized that there were dozens of them all around me warming in the sun waiting for an unsuspecting dragonfly or beetle to wonder past.  Truly memorable experience.
Thank-you for creating this wonderful site!
Christopher Waterous



Hi Christopher,
Thank you for the compliment. We remember fondly growing up in Ohio and seeing fields of goldenrod in the fall. On many of the flower tops there awaited huge Preying Mantids waiting for bees, wasps, grasshoppers and locust borers.

Mantis Headshot
(09/30/2005) Photogenic Mantis!
Hi gang!  I just wanted to share these pictures with you of this great little Praying Mantis that popped by for a visit.  He was about as friendly as could be and loved to play with my two boys for about 30 minutes.  He would fly from one to the other like he was purposely sharing his time with each of them, it was great.  I was able to snap a few photos of him and he just seemed to know what I was doing.  As you can see in the photos, he looked right at me as if he was posing. If he had teeth, I’m sure I would have seen a smile!  I hope you will post these on you web site for others to enjoy.   Thanks a bunch.
Mike from So. Cal Orange County



Hi Mike,
We hope you don't mind that we took your awesome photo and cropped it to a tight headshot.

Mantis Threatening
(09/26/2005) great pic of a praying mantis
Hi Whats that bug,
I wanted to submit a picture of a Praying Mantis I took. My son found this guy on our road. I could not resist scooping up the camera and taking this shot. We live in the country so we see them every now and again. The Praying Mantis has always been my favorite bug! I used to catch them all the time when I was a kid. I am still just as amazed by them as an adult! Thought you might enjoy this picture.
Shari McCollough
Crawfordsville, IN



Hi Shari,
Thanks for the view of what the insect sees just before the Mantis preys.

Grizzled Mantis
(09/24/2005) A bug I've never see before
Bugman,
I live in Tampa Florida.  Was out in the yard this morning doing some mulching when I saw this very interesting creature scurrying around the trunk of one of my oak trees.  The way it reacts to a perceived threat is the most interesting thing to me.  Looks like some kind of a Mantis but, I haven't been able to find any reference to this particular creature. Would appreciate your help in identifying him (or her).Thanks,
Luis Silva
Tampa, Fl



Hi Luis,
We identified your Grizzled Mantis, Gonatista grisea, thanks to a great image on BugGuide. We do like your image better though. Thanks for adding to our archive with a new species. The coloration allows the mantis to mimic lichen covered twigs.

Brunner's Mantis
(09/23/2005) Can you ID this mantid?
Hi,
I found this today(9-23-05) at work. When I first saw it, I was about 11 feet away from it, I thought it was a walking stick. I approached it and started to pick it up when it raised its head and I saw that it wasn't a walking stick. I have never seen any mantid like it. I have lived in IN 33 yrs and now reside in SC(lived here going on 2 yrs). I have been coming to SC all my life and never even seen a mantid like this. It's about 7" long and thin. I'm sending 3 pics to help with identifying. Thanks,
Steven



Hi Steven,
At first we believed this was a Grass Mantid in the genus Thesprotia. They are found in the south and often confused for Walkingsticks. WE weren't totally convinced so we contacted Eric Eaton. Here is his positive identification: "Cool!  The image is of a Brunner's Mantis, Brunneria borealis, and it is a female (males are unknown for this species).  It ranges from North Carolina to Texas.  Thank goodness I have a copy of "How to Know the Grasshoppers, Cockroaches and Their Allies," 2nd Ed., by Jacques Helfer (Wm. C. Brown Co. Publishers).  I could not have ID'd this critter otherwise.  If submitter would care to post this to BugGuide.net, it would be a new genus and species for the site, helping other folks ID their own finds. Eric"

Preying Mantis
(09/07/2005) Huge Mantis and Questions
Dear Bugman and company,
First of all, let me say that I love your "What's That Bug" website.  I have spent at least two hours looking at the bugs so far and I don't generally sit still that long unless something is very interesting.  Your site has helped me identify a bug or three in my apartment.  (I was a little startled the first time I saw a house centipede...one of the weirdest creatures I have ever seen - but very neat!)
I would also like to say that I never kill bugs unless they have infested my home en masse.  I just capture them and take them outside.  (I happen to like bugs.  Except ants.  I have an ant phobia.) I have a picture of a *huge* praying mantis that I captured once, this thing was four inches long; I have never seen one that big in my life.  How big do they generally get?  At any rate, there was a bug zapper outside the building where I found it so I put it in a styrofoam glass and let it go when I got home.  I have included a picture of him (her?) if you would like to use it on your website.  (Hand is about 3 inches across.)  I mean jeez, I thought this guy was a small bird when I saw it flying towards me!  :laughs: I used to have a pet one, I got really good at catching flies with my hand for her to eat.  (Thought it was a male until she laid eggs.  But most of the young died.  : (  ) I do have a few questions if you have the time to answer them.  One, is it safe to pick up house centipedes with bare hands?  I mean, if you get one on your hand, it is likely to bite?  I know most sites say they verry rarely bite, but I figured I would ask if it's okay to pick one up. Also, what do baby house centipedes look like?  In the last two days I have seen two tiny bugs that look exactly like miniature house centipedes, it was cool!  Do they have some larva stage, or are they miniatures of the adults? House spiders.  If I am right, they're the tan, black, or gray creatures with dark stripes that sort of look like a giant caroway seed.  I see them all the time indoors.  Will these bite?  I have seen sites that talk about Domestic and (Aggressive?) house spiders.  One bites and one doesn't?  How do I tell which one is safe to remove by hand and which one I should get a container for?  If you have clear pictures I might look at, I would be most appreciative! True bugs...  I know most people call all the creepy crawlies "bugs", but what makes a bug a bug, as opposed to, say, an insect?  What are the determining factors? Thank you very much for your time, and again, great site!
Al



Hi Al,
Thanks for the kind letter and great attitude. In the states, Mantises can grow to four inches in length easily. House Centipedes will not bite, to the best of our knowledge. Young House Centipedes are like miniature adults. The Domestic Spiders you are describing sound like some type of running spider or Wolf Spider. There is one known as a Mouse Spider, Scotophanaeus blackwalli. A True Bug in the Order Hemiptera is characterized by sucking mouthparts in a jointed beak. They usually have half membranous forewings. Hind wings are uniformly membranous. They possess a triangular scutulum behind the thorax. They have incomplete metamorphosis.

Happy Story with a Sad Ending
(09/02/2005) What's that bug, of course!
Again, thanks for identifying our 5” spider.
I took a look at your Preying Mantis gallery and though you might like these.  The pictures were taken with a snapshot digital camera, which kept me from focusing well on specific sections, such as the mantis’ head in the second pic. “Angel” was rescued from the parking lot at my work. I brought “Angel” home and the mantis couldn’t get enough of me. I’d put her (?) somewhere in the room and move away.  Each time she’d follow me and climb up my clothes, often to the top of my head. She never acted threatened by my presence or actions.  We brought her some crickets which she gladly dined on.  24 hours later my wife brought her outside with my daughter to await my arrival.  As soon as I walked up, Angel immediately walked up my arm and climbed to the top of my head …   and flew away.  Up until then she hadn’t event attempted to fly.  I followed her around the corner of the house only to witness her demise at the beak of a bird that spied her flying out in the open. L . Very interesting buggies!
Cheers,
Neil A. Bergman
Nashville , TN



Hi Neil,
Angel's story is very sad, but we can't really use that type of reasoning when it comes to nature. Nature isn't cruel.

Careful Mister, She's a Man Eater
(08/31/2005) Praying Mantis mating
I took this picture two weeks ago in Port Elgin Ontario, I haven't seen a better one on the internet, enjoy.
Sean J. Patrick Bates



Hi Sean,
We agree your photo is "Aces" and are proud to post it.

Mantis Reproduction
(08/28/2005) Praying Mantis Laying Egg Sack
Hi, I love your site! We're just crazy about bugs here at my house. Several years ago we started noticing praying mantis in our garden and have been captivated by them ever since. I keep a lively and fairly wild garden so they'll have a happy habitat (they love butterfly bush, golden rod.... basically anything that attracts bugs for them to eat). Each year they delight us with something new. Two years ago we were lucky enough to spy one laying her egg sack and I was able to get a photo. So, I though I'd pass it along to your other praying mantis-loving viewers to see. I have a small garden in a city/suburban neighborhood and yet manage to keep a large (6-12 adults) mantis population. Thanks for all you do.
Angel



Hi Angel,
Thank you first for the compliment and second for the wonderful photograph. This is a first for us, Mantis egglaying.

WTB? saves Mantis
(08/28/2005) Preying Mantis
Hi Bugman!
I'd like to start this message by saying congratulations on a fantastic bugsite!  I was searching the web for a bug I had squished in my living room (sorry, I know that makes you sad but... well... bugs give me the heebie jeebies....) Anyway on to happier things, I found your website and identified the little critter, and started looking at all the amazing bug pictures and reading all the info you had dug up about them.  (In fact, I've spent the better part of a couple of nights doing so.)  Well, tonight, we were headed inside the house, and my boyfriend said, "Hey, look at that walking stick."  Now, you have to remember... I am the same person who mercilessly mushed the bug in the living room, and the same person who usually yells to him to "Come kill this please!"  But after looking at all the bugs on your website, I was intrigued, so I looked.  I saw him (or her) and said, "That's not a walking stick, that's a preying mantis!"  And here comes the amazing part... instead of running inside for a fly swatter, I ran inside for my camera and took a few shots of the bug.  I've attached one shot, not that you really need ANOTHER mantis picture, but I thought you might like to see a picture of the bug you saved :)
Thanks again for the great site, and I'm sure the preying mantis thanks you as well.
Jennifer from MO



Hi Jennifer,
While it is true that we might not need another Preying Mantis photo, we can never get too many letters like yours. How nice to know we have done a good thing. Also we appreciate the spelling you use on Preying Mantis, because with all the controversy regarding Creationism versus Evolutionism in schools today, we like to see a separation of Church and Science.

Mantis in defensive posture
(08/23/2005) is this a mantis
I never saw the butterfly type wings like this before??
John



Hi John,
Very impressive image of a Mantis in a defensive pose. This is definitely the "don't mess with me" look.

Mantis stalks Paper Wasps
(08/22/2005) praying mantis / wasps photograph
Hi Bugman,
Came across your site a few weeks ago while trying to identify an American Dagger moth caterpillar that I found crawling across my driveway - and found it to be a wonderful means of procrastination!  :)  Anyway, I snapped off this shot of a praying mantis stalking some wasps at my uncle's house this weekend, and I thought I'd share it with you - if it's good enough for your site, you're welcome to post it. You could caption it: "pray before you prey", perhaps.  Or "grace before meals".  :) Just as the mantis pounced, though, my batteries ran out, so I couldn't get any pics of the 20-second battle that ensued, most unfortunately. (The wasps "won", but the mantis didn't seem much worse for the wear.)
Jason



Hi Jason,
We would love to post your image of an immature Mantis stalking a colony of Paper Wasps.

Preying Mantis
(08/16/2005) I have attached a photo of a mantis that I took a while ago, for your viewing pleasure.
Tim



What a beguiling image Tim.

Preying Mantis
(08/13/2005) Denver, CO-Mantis on Rose bush
I was so thrilled to see this little guy on my rose. He's about 4-5" long and really pretty. I have never seen a mantis in Colorado. Are they here and just hiding from me? My flash went off for this shot, though it was an overcast afternoon and not night.
Beth



Hi Beth,
Because Preying Mantis eggs are so readily available as an organic method of pest control, the ranges of these introduced species is constantly expanding. Both the Chinese Mantis and European Mantis have been introduced to this country in the late 1800's and are now found throughout the continental states. As your photo illustrates, they are masters of camouflage

Mantis Head Shot
(08/03/2005) Praying Mantis photo
Really enjoy your website and thought I'd pass along this praying mantis photo, I took in Pennsylvania.
Bob
Santa Fe, NM



Nice close-up Bob.

Mantis Love
(08/01/2005) what's the rating on your site R?
Love the sight, but glad I checked it out before my budding entomologist 6 year old.  see here
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/maggots.html David's letter is a bit out of the rating "range" of most of your other letters.  I do have a few shots of Mantis bug love if you'd like see attached.  I have more if you are interested.
Leanne



Hi Leanne,
Your photos are pretty awesome. I sure hope they did not end in cannibalism, though that often happens to ensure that mother mantis is strong enough to lay eggs. In our defense, we do not consider our site R rated, but it is for mature audiences. We speak like adults and we do not edit our letters. In responding to letters, we remain polite, but love a good witticism. Also, between adults, we know that the mantids are not in love, but really having sex. We thought carefully about the name for our Bug Love page and decided against the word sex because we didn't want to get barraged by junkmail from porn sites, performance enhancing drugs and physical endowment alternatives. In the general scheme of things, our site, despite the occasional use of profanity from a poor homemaker who is plagued by flies, does not contribute to the delinquency of a minor.

Brazilian Mantis
(08/01/2005)can you identify these?
We have a farm in Northeastern Brazil . You would not believe the insects we have.  I must have close to 150 pictures of insects I have found.  Just this may, I encountered these two beautiful guys. Do you know what they are?
Thanks!
Tatiana Peebles



Hi Tatiana,
One of your photos is some species of Mantis that is unknown to us. The other is a Hemipteran, also species unknown to us. Thanks for the exotica.

Update: (06/08/2007)
Brazilian Mantis
Hi there!   Really love your site, and was just reading through your mantis section. I think I might be able to help with the ID on the mantis in the photo under the title "Brazilian Mantis".   I keep a couple of species, and this one is very similar to one of mine. I believe the mantis in the photo is a Sybilla species, perhaps Sybilla dorsolosa. I raise Sybilla pretiosa at the moment.   http://ttwebbase.dyndns.org /mantid/view/65.html
http://ttwebbase.dyndns.org /mantid/view/77.html   Hope there's some useful info there!   Thanks for the website!
Ed Taylor

Immature Mantis
(07/20/2005) Wingless Mantis
WTB,
It's definitely a mantis but doesn't appear to have wings? Looked on several sites but didn't find a look-a-like. Regards,
Don Laughlin



Hi Don,
Your Mantis is wingless because it is immature. It will grow wings when it matures.

Preying Mantis in a Shoebox
(07/07/2005) Hi there,
I love your website, and find myself checking it regularly. I thought  you might like a couple of photos I took. The praying mantis was rescued from a busy sidewalk/parking lot where she was about to get squashed. I let her go in my garden. She is having her first look at freedom and me from the shoebox I used to capture her.
Grace E. Pedalino
Troy, Virginia



Hi Grace,
Thank you for all of your photos. We will be posting several. Your Preying Mantis is just about the cutest bug on the planet. Check out Grace's awesome Wolf Spider photo and Walking Stick photo.

Preying Mantis Eggcase
(02/06/2005) Cocoon
We found this cocoon attached to the underside of a small branch on a miniature Japanese maple in our yard. The photos were taken on February 3, 2005 in Clackamas County, Oregon near the city of Milwaukie at 45 25' 45"N  122 36' 26"W, elev. 125'. The cocoon is 35mm long and 18mm at the widest.
It seems that these might be fairly common in our area. About two months ago I saw a bird carry one of them into the yard and break it up looking for some morsel inside. I have not opened the cocoon so I can't report what is inside, if anything. I intend to do some macro studies of the attachment point in the next few days. Any help identifying the insect will be appreciated.
Michael A. Perry



Hi Michael,
If you leave the Preying Mantis Eggcase where it is, it will hatch in the spring releasing about 200 baby mantids who will begin to rid your garden of unwanted pests.

Daniel,
Outstanding! We have a pesticide-free garden and rely exclusively on natural predators to control unwanted pests. This egg case is a very valuable find and will be carefully preserved until the mantids hatch. Thanks!
Mike

Greek Mantis
(11/05/2004) Some Mantis pics I thought you'd like!
Hi,
You've been such a help identifying bugs for me in the past I thought rather than quiz you any more I'd just send you these pics I took on holiday. I found the Praying Mantis on a wall in Greece earlier this year. At one point an ant ran in front of him (or her?) and as you can see in one picture he devoured it pretty quickly!
Regards,
James Stratton.



Hi James,
We are always happy to hear we have been helpful. Your mantis photos are great. We are posting the two that have a better focus. Sadly the eating photo is a little soft. Thank you so much for adding to the site.

Preying Mantis
(11/01/2004) playground bugs [part 2]
Dear BUGMAN,
Thank you for writing back to us! WE LOVE YOUR SITE!!!!!
We are sending two medium sized photos of our Caddisfly [we thought the other photo we sent might be too small to be seen on the site]. We hope they help others! We also included our favorite stag beetle photo and praying mantis photo [it stayed on the wall next to our classroom door for days! We think it was listening in!] Thank you again for your help!
Always looking for bugs, Fours and fives in PA



Dear Fours and Fives in PA,
Thank you for the additonal photos. We are posting them immediately.

Preying Mantis Egg Cases or Oothecas
(06/02/2004) Egg case, Cocoon, Chrysalis?
I've found a few of these around the house (a couple on the house), and I'm wondering what they are. Ibelieve I opened one up a couple years ago without seeing one single 'thing' inside, which lead me to believe that it was some kind of egg case. 'little help? btw, just discovered the sight; thanks for being here!



Hi Gerrold,
It looks to me like you might have Preying Mantis egg cases. The females spray a type of foam to insulate the eggs against a severe winter and also to protect them from other harm.

(06/05/2004) Mantis egg-cases hatched!
Thanks again for your response, and I thought you might be interested in what we discovered this morning.

As the attatched pictures show, we have baby mantises! My camera wouldn't get quite as close as I would've liked , but you might be able to make out a baby hanging entangled from the case in picture #1. He was small, ill formed, and not moving, so I put him on the bench & shot him away from the case. Then I noticed he was moving, ever so slightly(possibly they emerge from the case in a state rather like that of a butterfly leaving the cocoon, and need some time to 'puff up and dry out'. Afterwards, we found one of his brethren on our Buddleia (butterfly bush), and I managed to snag a couple of pics of him scouting her new 'digs'. This guy is about a quarter of an inch long, the eggling was maybe an eight of an inch.

Wow Gerrold,
That is so exciting. Thank you so much for the follow-up letter and the beautiful photographs. We are posting them immediately. Please continue to send us mantis photos if possible. We would love to post some eating photos as well as fully grown specimens.

(06/14/2004) Mantis Brood Update
Are you a victim of success?     Couldn't get to the site today, but here's an update for you on my baby mantis brood. I found one of the 'kids' on my Hardy Hibiscus today; (S)he's a hair over half an inch, eyeballs to end of abdomen (if it was held oyt straight, instead of canted up like that). No dining pictures yet--That'd be a stroke of luck, but I will keep my fingers crossed.

(01/07/2004) Praying mantis
Hi, Bugman.
Is it true that a male praying mantis must have his head bitten off by the female he is mating with, in order to ejaculate? If so, that would be quite a decision to make, it seems to me! For the male, that is. And is this uncommon in the insect world? What might be the reason for this to be the case with the praying mantis?
M. Mattison
Oslo, Norway
(the praying mantis is referred to as a "kneeler" in Norway)

Hi Mark,
While it is not necessary for the male preying mantis to be beheaded in order to consumate the mating ritual, the female mantis will occasionally bite off her mate's head.  Much like a chicken with its head cut off, the male mantis will continue to perform actions, in this case, continuing the mating procedure.  The male mantis doesn't really make a decision in this matter.  He is a slave to his hormones.  It is fair to call this behavior uncommon in the insect world, though many female spiders, including the black widow, also devour their mate, which gets to the main reason this occurs.  The female requires a considerable amount of nutrition to produce strong eggs, and to survive to protect them as well.  The sacrifice of the male of the species helps to ensure that a healthy future generation gets off to a good start.  It is for the good of the species, not the survival of the individual.  "Kneeler" is an interesting local name.  I wonder what its origin is. Here are some photos I love. They are steps 4 and 5 in the mating of the Preying Mantis shot by Catherine Chalmers for her book Food Chain: Encounters Between Mates, Predators, and Prey published by Aperture.

Thanks a lot for your explanation. And what is the correct spelling? "Preying" or "praying?" Both of them make sense. As for the reason why they're called "kneeles" in Norwegian, I will try to find out. Thanks again.
Mark Mattison

Both spellings are correct, depending upon the author. I prefer to spotlight the hunting versus the religious connotation.

I now believe that the Norwegian name "kneeler" is from the same reason we say "praying" mantis: you kneel when you pray. At least if you accept the "praying" spelling. At least it makes sense. Why didn't I think of that
before?
Mark

(12/23/2003) Murdered Mantis
Mr. bugman,
I am 11 y.o. i had a praying mantis, and fed him many bugs, mostly crickets and butterflys. I put in a katydid (my dad thinks) with a stinger like thing in his cage. When I checked on him, he was dead and his head was eaten off by this katydid thing half his size. What was it, I still have it? I thought they only ate plants. Can you help me with this question. My dad and I cant find too much out on the web, but we ran into this site and thought we would try you.
Cool Site!
Thanks,
Zack E, and dad

Dear Zack,
The stinger you describe was the ovipositor of the female katydid. They are not predatory, and I have not heard of a situation of a katydid killing a mantis. I can tell you that katydids are not the typical food source for mantids. Normally they eat bees, butterflies, skippers, flower flies and other small flying insects. Your murder is a mystery to me and perhaps needs some additional crime scene investigation. Is it possible that ants got to the already dead mantis and devoured the head?

Mantid Egg Case or Ootheca
(10/5/2003) Dear WTB,
Early in the week we tore down our arbor and fence and discovered this cocoon attached to a fence post behind the foliage.  We live near Modesto, CA in the central valley.  We have been unable to identify what will come out of this cocoon once the insect immerges - can you help?  It is approx. 1 inch long and has scales like a snake.  The exterior is very "tough".  It has maroon striped markings on each side with a cream color filling out the remaining exterior.  My photos are a bit fuzzy - couldn't get my digital to focus for a closer shot.  Any assistance you can provide would be appreciated!  My children and I are perplexed.
Thank you,
Sheri McNeilly



Hi Sheri,
I would like to do more research before giving you a definite answer, but it looks more like an egg case than a cocoon.  It might be a preying mantis egg case known as an Ootheca.  I will get back to you.

Thank you - as you can see, I'm not up on bug terminology.  A mantis would be wonderful.

(5/12/2003)Dear Mr. Bugman,
A couple years ago when I was a courier in Philadelphia I found a Praying Mantis in an office building elevator, so I took her outside and let her go. Then a couple days later I found another one in a different building's elevator !  This has been keeping me awake nights ever since.   Should I worry about some ancient chinese curse or expect some munificent blessing ?
Colin Barclay

We have lost the original reply to Colin's letter, but we assured him that he would fall victim to no curse, and helping the poor Mantids could only result in blessings.

Who's that Linnaeus?
(2/12/03) what is the family name for preying mantis's (genus - i guess) this will help me win an argument!

Dear Tristian,
    Let me settle your etymological query before addressing your entomological one. Thanks to Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778), one of the most famous biologists that ever lived. we use a two name system to name all biological species. The first name, which is capitalized, is the genus name. The species name, which follows, is all lower case. There are many species of preying (praying) mantid (mantis), belonging to several families, but all belong to the animal Kingdom, Phyllum Arthropoda, Class Insecta, Subclass Pterygota, Infraclass Neoptera, and Order Mantodea. All American species belong to the family Mantidae. There are various genus and species. Some native species include the California Mantid (Stagmomantis californica) and the Minor Ground Mantid (Litaneutria minor). Species introduced from Asia include Tenodera or Paratenodera sinensis and Mantis religiosa.