What Are We Looking At?
First, can you see it? The not-grass-thing?
Do you see the insect dead center in the photo?
Yep, that’s right. It’s a praying mantis.
Do you notice how pale it is? Do you know why?
Make your best guess.
Go ahead…we’ll wait. (Is it an albino? A rare white praying mantid? Or…?)
Now, we’ll tell you what Shanna Archibold who studied entomology said. She explained, “There are 100’s of species of praying mantids. Some are tan, some brown and some green….When they have just shed their exoskeleton, you can still see their turquoise blood through their pale skin.”
There you go. Your nature fact for today.
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not sure real name
stick walker , praying mantis some kind of bug
Actually, I have Walking Sticks around here, too. The Mantids have adapted forelegs like spring-loaded “grabbers” and they sure do! The Stick Walkers move gracefully across the ground; the Mantids keep doing face plants till they get to a twig or branch to go up. af
They also change color. Watched one change from bright green to tan when I moved it.
The first thing a noticed after you told me .neto
The mantis, “Mantidea” of the mantis group, the praying mantis is definitely one of my favorite insects. Bright green ones are awesome.
I agree!! I was actually a praying mantis for Halloween when I was around 7 years old. My mom was wonderful about always trying to create whatever costume I wanted!!!
It’s a female . Males are green
Saw this fellow when I was working in Eureka.
So amazing!!
What a marvellous picture.
The Bushmen of southern Africa worship the mantis; and it has a relationship with the full moon in their mythology. They have many dances where they imitate animals and insects – the mantis has its own special dance.
Certainly a special kind of insect which works hard for its living.
Turquoise blood? Fascinating!
He so cute, I love those guys!
I get them in my garden every yr I get green ones ,and real light tan ones I’m asuming green is male and the light tan are females .
We get them as well, amazing creatures!
Highly liked at our home
Mantids love weed
They give me the creeps even in pictures!!!! Lol
I have always been fascinated with Mantids. I love the orchid mantis! So colorful and beautiful! However they are not native here. I have only seen pictures.
About a year ago in mckinleyville i just walked in my friends house then felt what i thought was a spider on the back of my neck i looked in the mirror and saw a large green mantis, ight then he bit me and i mean hard o knocked him off and couldnt find him anywhere on the floor