Carolina Mantis
The Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) is, indeed, one of the mantids, but it is in a different genus than the Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa). One of 4 mantids found in the United States, the Carolina Mantis is a native species, while the similar-looking Praying Mantis, that most people are familiar with, was accidentally introduced in 1899 when it was brought in on plants from southern Europe.
The Carolina Mantis is found from Virginia to Florida, west to Mexico and California, and northeast to Indiana. It is about 2-3/8" in length. The head and thorax are almost as long as the rest of the body. The antennae are about 1/2 as long as the middle legs.
The Carolina Mantis is pale green to brownish gray in color and is often difficult to see when they are in vegetation because they blend in so well due to camouflage coloration. The distinguishing feature of this mantid is that the wings do not extend beyond the abdomen, particularly in the female, as they do in the Praying Mantis.
The Carolina Mantis is found in meadows and gardens, on low shrubs and flower heads. It eats butterflies, moths, flies, small bees, and caterpillars.
This is an efficient predator. The head can rotate 180 degrees as it watches for prey. The front legs are held in a "praying" position in front of its body and the mantis uses the legs to strike out and capture their pray. The Carolina Mantis can make 2 distinct strikes with its forelegs in the fraction of a second, often before its prey can even begin to escape. The forelegs have long,sharp spines on the insides of the legs to help them capture their prey. These spines fit into a groove on the lower portion of the leg when not in use.
The adult female often captures and eats part of her mate even as he continues to mate with her. The female then lays large egg masses of 30 to 80 eggs, packed in parallel rows on a plant stem where they overwinter. She then coats the eggs with a tan material that dries hard. The mantis nymphs emerge in the spring.
The Carolina Mantis is found from Virginia to Florida, west to Mexico and California, and northeast to Indiana. It is about 2-3/8" in length. The head and thorax are almost as long as the rest of the body. The antennae are about 1/2 as long as the middle legs.
The Carolina Mantis is pale green to brownish gray in color and is often difficult to see when they are in vegetation because they blend in so well due to camouflage coloration. The distinguishing feature of this mantid is that the wings do not extend beyond the abdomen, particularly in the female, as they do in the Praying Mantis.
The Carolina Mantis is found in meadows and gardens, on low shrubs and flower heads. It eats butterflies, moths, flies, small bees, and caterpillars.
This is an efficient predator. The head can rotate 180 degrees as it watches for prey. The front legs are held in a "praying" position in front of its body and the mantis uses the legs to strike out and capture their pray. The Carolina Mantis can make 2 distinct strikes with its forelegs in the fraction of a second, often before its prey can even begin to escape. The forelegs have long,sharp spines on the insides of the legs to help them capture their prey. These spines fit into a groove on the lower portion of the leg when not in use.
The adult female often captures and eats part of her mate even as he continues to mate with her. The female then lays large egg masses of 30 to 80 eggs, packed in parallel rows on a plant stem where they overwinter. She then coats the eggs with a tan material that dries hard. The mantis nymphs emerge in the spring.