Page 76 - AG 7-2011 Revised 2016
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California Mantis California Mantis
Female with egg mass 1sr instar nymph
Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR
California Mantis California Mantis egg mass
adult female on window screen
Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR
1.Antenna- thread like 6.Thorax- yes Praying Mantis
2.Eyes- compound 7.Petiole- none
3.Head- chewing mouth parts 8.Abdomen- yes 1 5
4.Legs- 6 9.Color- green to brown 6
5.Wings- yes 10.Other- raptorial front legs
Life Cycle 8
When the males and females mate, it often means death for the male! Females 10
are quite cannibalistic, and unless the smaller male makes a good effort to
escape, his life is over. Eggs are laid in distinct cases, each of which has over Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR
100 eggs in it. Upon hatching, a young mantis will also eat anything it can grab,
including its brothers and sisters!
The Praying Mantid is a commonly recognized insect predator, and is usually known as the
Praying Mantis. While they are still small, the praying mantis will eat aphids and other small
plant pests, but as they grow they begin looking for larger prey like flies, moths, caterpillars,
and they eventually become less useful for pest control. They rarely go after the smaller insects
once they have grown up. They will sit motionless for hours waiting for their next meal to come
along. Their popular name comes from the appearance of having folded arms while they are
awaiting an insect to come along.
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