At first glance, a mantis is an absolutely harmless insect. Fragile, thin, imperceptible in the grass and on the branches of trees. But this insect is not what it seems. First of all, it is practically clear to everyone that they called him that because of the prayerfully folded forelegs. He can sit in his pose for hours, but there is no need to be deceived, the mantis insect is a formidable predator. He attacks victims much larger than himself. It is known about the battles of mantis with large spiders and even with snakes! One wonders if the people with the name were mistaken.
Compared with relatives, this is a rather large representative of its class. Individual individuals can reach 76 millimeters in length and even more. Females are usually larger than males. If the size is the same, then it is rather difficult to determine the sex of the individuals before adulthood.
They perfectly mimic. There are species very similar to flowers, others can easily get lost in the leaves, and all with one goal - to trap a suitable victim! For people, they are not at all dangerous. The only way that a praying mantis insect can harm a person is to scratch the finger with the jagged edges of the forelegs if taken carelessly.
People who see them for the first time, at first simply do not believe that this is a creature of terrestrial origin. His appearance and his entire alien appearance are very unusual. And, of course, it is very difficult to realize that this is a formidable predator. It is not always possible to clearly distinguish the appearance of such a small creature as a mantis. The insect (his photo can bewitch anyone) seems to be dancing a strange ritual dance.
Some people even keep them at home because caring for them is not too complicated. The insect will need to change housing several times. At first, packaging from under yogurt is quite suitable, but later you will have to find a bigger “apartment” for him. Throughout life, the mantis insect sheds its skin, increasing in size.
We must not forget to feed him in time, and also in his home there should always be twigs on which he can hang, this is especially important during moulting. But he does not need to drink - it is only necessary to provide sufficient humidity.
If it is decided to reduce heterosexual individuals, then it is necessary, firstly, to prepare a bulk cell, and secondly, a sufficient amount of food. Otherwise, the larger female can eat the male after mating. It can occur as soon as individuals are together or within the next few days. After the end of the mating period, the male must be resettled again.
In due time, the female lays from 30 to 300 eggs, of which new individuals hatch in a few months. To prevent cannibalism among newborns, you need to put them in a large container with a lot of secret corners and live food. After the second or third molt all of them need to be seated.
The insect mantis, unlike most of its brethren, has a number of unique skills. In addition to magnificent mimic abilities, he can turn his head almost 180 degrees in different directions and even look over his shoulder. By the way, females, unlike males, cannot fly, although representatives of both sexes have wings. It's just that they are too heavy to fly.
