Page 119 - Atlas Of The World's Strangest Animals

MANTIS 119

surrounded by people constantly moving and distracting subjected to laboratory conditions.They have a large range
them. Out of 30 matings, there were no deaths. More of vision, so will notice activity in the laboratory. In the
surprisingly, the cameras were able to record an elaborate wild, males also have the chance to try their luck
mating ritual, involving both the male and female, which elsewhere if a female isn’t interested. In a cage, they have
was previously unknown to science. no choice but to stay where they are.The urge to mate is
Mantids are ambush hunters. Perfectly camouflaged, fast a powerful one but a desperate male, forcing his attentions
and powerful, they react quickly and decisively to sudden of an unresponsive female, risks incurring her wrath.
movements, especially when they’re hungry.Typically it There are more than 2000 species of mantids, and since
will take less than one-tenth of a second for a mantid to this study, there has been much debate about the role of
spot and seize prey. So it would seem sensible for them to sexual cannibalism within the family. It’s clear that, in
evolve some form of courtship ritual that enables males to some species, females do devour males during mating, but
approach hungry females without ending up on the menu! this is far from common.What’s more, mantid behaviour
The work of Liske and Davis suggests that these rituals has been shown to be much more complex than was
get disrupted when hungry and stressed insects are previously thought.

With such superb cryptic camouflage, this mantis can easily With a sudden spring, the mantis snaps its fore legs shut,
creep closer to its unwary neighbour without being spotted. trapping its victim’s struggling body within its spiky embrace.

Held in his captors’ vicelike grip, there’s no escape for this The predator quickly splits open its victim’s hard outer shell –
little mantid as he’s drawn upwards, towards the waiting jaws. making it easier to get at the soft flesh inside.

(c) 2011 Marshall Cavendish. All Rights Reserved.