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Praying Mantis, One Stick Insect
No, this article isn't referring to the vocal group, Praying Mantis - or a Kung Fu technique known as the Praying Mantis. The focus of this article is one stick insect… Praying Mantis? Or Preying Mantis? The male mantis would probably find no argument in this new name suggestion. Once the old boy mates with a female mantis, it's lights out, for he becomes the prey. It takes a brave mantis to reproduce - one that is willing to die so that his species will continue.
The Praying Mantis is one of the most fascinating insects on earth today. In America, two species of mantis can be found: the Chinese Mantis and the Carolina Mantis. Adults will reach two to six inches in length and are generally green or brown. The Praying Mantis obtained its name due to its 'praying' stance. The Mantis undergoes simple, or incomplete metamorphous. During the growth process, the Mantis will shed its skin multiple times, each time emerging larger than the previous stage. Hatching of the young takes approximately three to six months and a 'crop' of thirty to about three hundred young can be expected, depending on the species of mantis. The young will often eat one another, though their mainstay consists of fruit flies, aphids and other small insects. It's not unusual for a Mantis to attack bigger prey. Some have been documented attacking small birds and reptiles. They may be small, but these little sticks are aggressive! They also have a charming sway that acts as a camouflage to their prey. As they approach, they stop and sway every now and then, perhaps mimicking foliage blowing in the wind. They're green or brown like a leaf, so the illusion that is produced is enough to make a prey do a double take, don't you think? The Mantis generally makes the kill by attacking the neck of its prey, then will begin eating while the prey is alive, holding its victim with the front legs that are decked out in tiny spines. This makes it very hard to believe that in some cultures the Praying Mantis is actually considered holy. Without a doubt, the Praying Mantis is one stick insect!
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