Tags
insects, mantids, mantis vs hummingbird, Maybellene, nature, photography, praying mantis, preying mantis
Here is an example of a common introduced species, the Chinese Mantis (Tenodera aridifolia ssp. angustipennis). She is lovely, don’t you think? Pretty enough to deserve her own post.
Chinese Mantis (Tenodera aridifolia ssp. angustipennis)
Last summer, I captured one of these beauties and brought her back to the lab. I named her Maybellene (after this song).
I thought she was beautiful, but my labmates were distraught because she would hang out near the ceiling and then randomly drop down on people when they came in the door.
Hhhheeeyyyyy
Mantids have their own order (Mantodea) in the class Insecta. Their common name is “praying mantis”, relating to their posture with their forelegs folded up as if in prayer. I have seen it written as “preying mantis” though, since they are predatory.
In fact, sometimes they will hang out on hummingbird feeders, waiting for a tasty hummingbird to show up.
Maybellene, why can’t you be true?
