Praying for Food

text & photos : Norma A. Hubbard (October 2021)

I almost missed it. It was so well hidden that if it had not moved, I would not have seen it. Yet there it was, and I happened to have my camera in hand, so although I was creeped out by it, l leaned in close and snapped a few pictures. I hadn’t seen one in many years. So, who was this creepy creature? None other than a European mantis (Mantis religiosa), and as the name indicates, this species is not native, but don’t let the name fool you, praying mantis are common here.

What’s in a name? The term “Mantis” is a genus and “mantid” refers to any species, but the terms are commonly used interchangeably. The Greek word mantis means ‘prophet’ or ‘seer’ and because mantis hold their front legs together as if in prayer, they were given the name Praying Mantis. Although, it is most likely if they are praying, it is for food.

Many of us might have heard stories about mantids, such as female praying mantis will eat the male after mating. Well, while it is true that females might bite a male’s head off even before the mating has finished, this only happens about half the time. As males are very aware that females consider them as food, a male will try to sneak up to a female, jump onto her back, mate, then make a quick getaway. Not the most romantic of courtships.

Females mantids are larger than males. Female European mantis are about 8 cm (3in) and males are 7cm (2.5in). After mating, a female will later produce an egg mass called an ootheca, which may contain several hundred eggs. An ootheca looks a like a cocoon and can be found attached to branches or under leaves. The ootheca is left to overwinter. In the spring when the warm weather starts, the nymphs will hatch as tiny praying mantis. Mantids only live a year, so young praying mantis are quick to develop and move away from their siblings, who will eat each other if there is no other food readily available!

Besides eating each other, mantids eat plenty of other insects. Some species of mantids in North America were introduced to eat harmful insects, like grasshoppers and mosquitoes. The European mantis was brought in the 1600’s. Although generally considered a beneficial insect, sadly, mantids don’t discriminate, they are just as likely to eat a needed insect, like a honeybee, as well as a pesky grasshopper. They are excellent hunters. Mantids have adapted to their environments, changing colour and shape to blend into their surroundings. They wait ‘praying’, well-camouflaged, for bugs to come near them, then with lightning speed they grab their prey with their deadly front legs. The little spikes on their legs keep their prey pinned while they eat. Larger mantids, like the Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis) are about 10cm (4in.) and are known to attack lizards, frogs and even hummingbirds! Thankfully we do not have them in our area.

I saw two praying mantis in one day. There was a smaller green male flying around, and I will admit I ducked as I was nervous about him landing on me. Generally, praying mantis don’t bite people and if they do, they have no stinger or venom making them harmless to humans. The larger brown praying mantis I saw was a pregnant female, and I am sure she was looking for a place to lay her eggs. Females can’t fly while pregnant, which is why I was able to get such a close picture of her.

Seeing a praying mantis brought back fond memories of childhood for me and made me think that perhaps some of our ecosystem is recovering even while we are living through a climate crisis.

Folklore has it that seeing a praying mantis is good fortune. I like to think that is true, especially since I saw both a male and female on the same day. If you see mantids, don’t be creeped out by them, just let them be and maybe good fortune will come your way, or at the very least, it might eat a few of those annoying mosquitoes!

Sources: The Praying Mantis: Predator of the Garden, Almanac [online]; Keeping Insects [online]