Praying mantis eating a cricket

This is my pet praying mantis (Mantis religiosa), Hitchens, eating a cricket. He is a European mantis, which were introduced to the U.S. in 1899. Since then, they've become a very widespread and popular insect. Gardeners especially love them for their aggressiveness and voracious appetite for other insects. He's not nearly as impressive as the native Arizona unicorn mantis (http://www.keepinginsects.com/praying-mantis/species/unicorn-mantis/) but I still love him. Fun fact: mantids have two main compound eyes with binocular vision, and three small simple eyes on their foreheads. In low light conditions, the main eyes will darken.

I caught this guy outside my apartment the day before this video was recorded. I was originally going to just take a picture, but then I noticed a cricket on a nearby branch. I'm glad I recorded video instead!

Video recorded in Phoenix, AZ.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• european
• praying
• mantis
• religiosa
• preying
• cricket
• eating
• pet
• arizona
• az
• phoenix

[Phrostbitex]

First

[pVVENx]

@Phrostbitex I oughta ban you for that -_-

[planBpros1]

i have 5 of the little guys

[Phrostbitex]

@pVVENx NOooo Please don't.

[Azadeth666]

"Omnomnomnom! I am full of cricket, and I am coming for you!"