This is a mantis. Two or more of these insects are called mantids. Cockroaches, and stick insects are considered close relatives of mantids. They all belong to the order Orthoptera.
Adult mantids can reach 15 cm in length.
Mantids are the only insects that are able to turn their triangular-shaped heads from side to side.
They have an elongated prothorax onto which the front legs are attached.
The mantids' forelegs have sharp spines on them. These rows of spines are used to grasp their prey.
The forelegs of the mantis are folded and held together when the animal is at rest. This makes the insect look as if it is praying. This is why it is often called the praying mantis.
Mantids have a sensitive compound eye on each side of their head that can detect movement up to 60 feet away and allows them to estimate distances accurately.
Using an ear on the mesothorax, mantids may be able to hear ultrasound, enabling them to escape from bats. Bats use ultrasound (echolocation) to locate their prey.
The combination of the mantis's special features makes the mantis unique among insects.
Adult mantids have two pairs of wings. The front pair is straight, leathery, and narrow, and the back pair is thin or membranous.
The hind wings look as though they are folded like a fan. The hind wings are transparent and are used for flight.
Mantids have wings that help them fly, but they are not long-distance fliers. They use their wings to fly short distances, especially to escape from predators.
Male mantids fly to find a female that is sending out pheromones to "call" them. Adult females have difficulty flying because their bodies are heavy with the weight of the eggs they carry.
Most mantids live in warm, tropical climates. Mantids come in different colors, from light brown to bright green.
Mantids are predators that sit and wait for their prey, looking almost invisible because of how well they are camouflaged among the leaves and stems in their habitat. When prey comes close, the mantis flips out its front legs to catch it in its sharp spines.
This is a mosquito belonging to the Culicidae family. It weighs about 2 to 2.5 milligrams. That is about the weight of a pinhead. All the mosquito families belong to the insect order called Diptera, which includes flies, mosquitoes, midges, and gnats.
One of the most distinctive features of the adult mosquito is the single pair of wings.
Mosquitoes are well-known for their role in spreading diseases, such as the West Nile virus. They are annoying pests to humans, livestock, birds and other vertebrate animals.
Female adult mosquitoes need a diet of blood so they can produce eggs. They pierce the skin of a vertebrate animal and suck the blood into their abdomen through their proboscis. They find prey by using their eyes, by detecting heat from animal and human bodies, by sensing light, and by attraction to certain chemicals.
Male adult mosquitoes have short mouthparts and eat plant nectar. Males do not feed on blood.
Mosquito larvae are filter feeders. They strain small particles of organic matter, such as bacteria and other microorganisms from the water.
Mosquito larvae, pupae, and adults, because of their high numbers, are important food for fish, birds and invertebrate populations that live in their ecosystems.
On the other hand, mantid nymphs are prey for spiders, lizards, and ants. Adult mantids are eaten by birds, bats, and frogs.
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PRAYING MANTIS - Size of a Catby JCVdude181,612 views
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