MANTODEA
Mantids / Praying Mantids
The name Mantodea is derived from "mantis", the Greek word for these insects.
MANTODEA
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Classification |
Life History & Ecology |
Distribution |
Physical Features |
Economic Importance |
Major Families |
Fact File |
Hot Links |
Life History & Ecology:
Mantids have elongate bodies that are specialized for a predatory lifestyle: long front legs with spines for catching and holding prey, a head that can turn from side to side, and cryptic coloration for hiding in foliage or flowers. Mantids are most abundant and most diverse in the tropics; there are only 5 species commonly collected in the United States and 3 of these have been imported from abroad.
Distribution:
Common in tropical and subtropical climates.
| North America |
Worldwide | |
| Number of Families | 1 | 8 |
| Number of Species | 20 | ~1800 |
Classification:
- Hemimetabola
- incomplete development (egg, nymph, adult)
- Orthopteroid
- closely related to Orthoptera and Blattodea
Physical Features:
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Economic Importance:
Generally considered to be highly beneficial insects because they feed on other insects. Since they are cannibalistic and also feed on other beneficial insects, their value as biocontrol agents is probably rather limited.
Major Families:
- Mantidae -- this family includes all of the common North American mantids.
Fact File:
- Mantids are the only insects that can turn their head from side to side without moving any other part of the body. Many humans mistakenly interpret this behavior as a sign of intelligence.
- A female mantid may eat her mate while he is still linked with her in copulo. This behavior is probably more common in captivity than in the wild.
- Most mantids are cryptically colored to blend with their environment. A pink Malaysian species spends most of its time hunting for prey on pink orchids.
- Although mantids usually feed on insect prey, they have been known to catch and eat small frogs, lizards, and even birds.
Hot Links and Illustrations:
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