Correctly identify this insect, and tell us why it`s not always beneficial to the gardener. Once we have the correct answer this thread will be moved to the appropriate folder. Winner receives $5

Is it a Katydid, (bush-cricket), which belongs to the family of tettigoniids?

The diet of tettigoniids includes leaves, flowers, bark, and seeds, but many species are exclusively predatory, feeding on other insects, snails or even small vertebrates such as snakes and lizards. Some are also considered pests by commercial crop growers and are sprayed to limit growth.

Good try tom, but not the Katydid. :wink:

It looks like a praying mantis or praying mantid.

A praying mantis, or praying mantid, is the common colloquial name for an insect of the order Mantodea. Often mistakenly spelled preying mantis (a tempting mistake, as they are notoriously predatory) they are in fact named for the typical "prayer-like" stance. The word mantis derives from the Greek word Mantes for prophet or fortune teller.

Like all insects, the body of a praying mantis can be broken down into a head a top the body and an abdomen housing vital organs at the other end. In between, the thorax connects the two.

Body Structure

Praying mantises are a very recognizable insect with their extremely distinguishing characteristics.

Head

The head of the praying mantis is triangularly shaped. The eyes of the mantis bulge large and round from the sides of the head. The large eyes of the praying mantis are made even more effective by the mantis’s ability to rotate the head 360 degrees.

The mouth of the praying mantis is made for chewing and biting. There is an upper and lower jaw as well as palps along the sides.

Sitting atop the head of the praying mantis are its two long antennae that are used for general navigation.

Being that the praying mantis is deaf to most sounds (those not ultrasonic) there are no ears on the head (Yager and May).

Torso

The torso of the praying mantis, consisting of the thorax and abdomen, is much elongated in size. The thorax is very long and thin and is simply a pathway between the head and abdomen.

The only body part on the praying mantises that could be considered out of place is its ear. According to Yager and May, the praying mantis has one single ear in the middle of the abdomen on the underside. This single ear allows it to hear ultrasonic sounds. This is great tool for defense against predators. This ear is simply a deep slit inside the abdomen.

The rear of the torso is covered by two sets of wings that are used for flying. These wings lay one on top of the other and fan outwards during flight.

Legs

The praying mantis, like most insects, has six jointed legs. The rear four legs are the main walking legs of the praying mantis. These legs are longer than the front two. The front two legs are shorter and set in a “praying position.” However holy these legs may seem, they are lined with spines and ended with sharp hooks for capturing and killing prey.

Sex Differences

Female praying mantises grow to be significantly larger than males. This size difference is necessary for female mantises to be able to produce and carry the large number of eggs that they produce.

Camouflage

Praying mantises have the ability to adapt their color to their surroundings. This camouflage of earth tones, ranging from a dark brown to a bright green, allows the praying mantis to blend in and wait for its clueless prey.

Senses

Praying mantises, with their huge eyes, can see extremely well and from distances up to 60 feet (The Big Zoo). Sight is the only sense that they use in hunting prey and for general navigation.

Since praying mantises do not have typical ears on the side of the head like many insects, they do not hear standard sounds. However, their single ear in their abdomen has the ability to hear ultrasonic sounds (Yager and May). This ultrasonic hearing is used as a defense mechanism from predators.

Flight

Praying mantises are not born with the ability to fly. As nymphs, they do not have wings. However, after several molting periods, once they mature they are able to fly.

Habitat

Praying mantises can be found in all parts of the world that are not snow covered for a majority of the year and have adequate food and housing. Praying mantises enjoy living in areas filled with plant life. This is because their camouflage is most effective here and other insects (prey) dwell in these surroundings as well. Although praying mantises will spend most of their time in a garden, in the forest, or a in another generally vegetated area, it is not uncommon for them to explore other areas around people’s homes like all insects.

Diet

Being a carnivorous insect, the praying mantis feeds primarily on other insects. They feed mostly on insects like flies, butterflies, crickets, moths, spiders, and other insects smaller than them. However, it is not uncommon for larger mantises to consume small reptiles and birds.

To capture their prey, mantids use their camouflage to blend in with the surroundings and wait for the prey to be within striking distance. They then use their raptorial front legs to quickly snatch the victim and devour it alive.


Mating Process

The mating process for a mantis normally begins during the warm summer season. During this process, the smaller male mantis will mount the female mantis from behind and begin copulation.

Offspring

During the fall season when the eggs have formed inside the female mantis and are ready for excretion, the female mantis lays egg sacks which are called ootheca (Insecta Inspecta). The female mantis will lay up to 22 ootheca during a given season (The Big Zoo). Upon laying the ootheca, the female mantis attaches the egg sacks to something to protect them from the elements. Often, the ootheca are attached to tree stumps, sticks, or other structures that the mantis deems fit. After being attached, the soft outer shell of the ootheca will harden into a protective layer (Patterson).

From each ootheca, anywhere from 30 to 300 baby mantises can hatch (The Big Zoo). The hatching occurs in during the following spring or early summer season. During the winter months, as well as throughout the ootheca’s maturation period in general, many egg sacks are destroyed simply by the elements of the outdoors.

Upon hatching, the baby mantises (or nymphs) begin their lives trying to survive feeding on small insects, as the adults do, or the other nymphs. The small nymphs shed their skin several times during their molting periods while they are young. By the summer, they will reach maturity and begin the cycle over again (Patterson).

Predators of the Mantis

The predators of the praying mantis are generally animals that feed on insects. These primary predators of the praying mantis are bats and larger birds. Also, spiders and insect eating snakes will feed on smaller mantises. The predators of the praying mantis are not limited to other animals. Praying mantises will eat other mantises. This cannibalistic behavior is usually prevalent during the nymph stage and during mating (Patterson). However, a mature praying mantis will not turn away from a meal of its own kind.

Defense Mechanisms

Praying mantises, when threatened, stand tall and spread their forelegs with their wings fanning out wide. The fanning of the wings is used to make the mantis seem larger and to scare the opponent.

Since praying mantises feed during the day, they do a fair amount of traveling by air at night and do not spend the time sitting and watching prey. The night, however, is when bats feed. Bats use ultrasonic sound waves to pinpoint their prey. The frequency of these sound waves indicates the location and distance of the bat’s prey. According to Yager and May, praying mantises, although deaf, are able to hear these ultrasonic sounds and when the frequency begins to increase rapidly, indicating an approaching bat, mantises will stop flying horizontally and begin a direct, high speed nose dive towards the safety of the ground. Often this descent will be preceded by an aerial loop or spin. Other times, the entire decent will consist of a downward spiral.

Endangered Status

One very common misconception about praying mantises is that they are an endangered species. Praying mantises are not and have never been on the endangered species list.

Pest Control

Praying mantises are one of the best forms of natural control of small insects in gardens. This is because mantises do not feed on plants, but will feed on the small insects that can take a heavy toll on plant life (beetles, caterpillars, etc.).

Patterson describes how gardeners will often search for ootheca and carefully move them while still connected to their holding structure and place them in the refrigerator to prevent premature hatching. The ootheca will keep the unborn nymphs alive in the refrigerator until the spring arrives and they are ready to hatch. This allows for the mantis nymphs to be born in the garden and spend their lives protecting the plants from insects that may harm the vegetation.

Quote:Praying mantises are one of the best forms of natural control of small insects in gardens. This is because mantises do not feed on plants, but will feed on the small insects that can take a heavy toll on plant life (beetles, caterpillars, etc.).

Quote: Diet

Being a carnivorous insect, the praying mantis feeds primarily on other insects. They feed mostly on insects like flies, butterflies, crickets, moths, spiders, and other insects smaller than them. However, it is not uncommon for larger mantises to consume small reptiles and birds.

i think the problem with these insects is that they eat both beneficial and harmful insects in the garden without discrimination.