How many eggs does a praying mantis lay?
Mantis
The mating season in temperate climates typically takes place in autumn, while in tropical areas, mating can occur at any time of the year. To mate following courtship, the male usually leaps onto the female's back, clasping her thorax and wing bases with his forelegs. He then arches his abdomen to deposit and store sperm in a special chamber near the tip of the female's abdomen. The female lays between 10 and 400 eggs, depending on the species. Eggs are typically deposited in a froth mass-produced by glands in the abdomen. This froth hardens, creating a protective capsule, which together with the egg mass is called an ootheca. Depending on the species, the ootheca can be attached to a flat surface, wrapped around a plant, or even deposited in the ground. Despite the versatility and durability of the eggs, they are often preyed on, especially by several species of parasitoid wasps. In a few species, mostly ground and bark mantises in the family Tarachodidae, the mother guards the eggs. The cryptic "Tarachodes maurus" positions herself on bark with her abdomen covering her egg capsule, ambushing passing prey and moving very little until the eggs hatch. An unusual reproductive strategy is adopted by Brunner's stick mantis from the southern United States; no males have ever been found in this species, and the females breed parthenogenetically. The ability to reproduce by parthenogenesis has been recorded in at least two other species, "Sphodromantis viridis" and "Miomantis" sp., although these species usually reproduce sexually. In temperate climates, adults do not survive the winter and the eggs undergo a diapause, hatching in the spring.
Ilomantis ginsburgae
Ilomantis ginsburgae is a species of leaf-dwelling praying mantis from Madagascar. It is the first praying mantis species characterised by its female genitalia. It was named after United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for her "commitment to women's rights and gender equality" and for her custom of wearing a jabot, a frilly neckwear which resembles the insect's neck plate.
Eremiaphila wettsteini
Eremiaphila wettsteini is a species of praying mantis in the family Eremiaphilidae.
Yersiniops newboldi
Yersiniops newboldii is a species of praying mantis found in Baja California. The original literature for this species was published in "Transactions of the American Entomological Society" in 1931.
Mantis
The closest relatives of mantises are the termites and cockroaches (Blattodea), which are all within the superorder Dictyoptera. Mantises are sometimes confused with stick insects (Phasmatodea), other elongated insects such as grasshoppers (Orthoptera), or other unrelated insects with raptorial forelegs such as mantisflies (Mantispidae). Mantises are mostly ambush predators, but a few ground-dwelling species are found actively pursuing their prey. They normally live for about a year. In cooler climates, the adults lay eggs in autumn, then die. The eggs are protected by their hard capsules and hatch in the spring. Females sometimes practice sexual cannibalism, eating their mates after copulation.
Arizona mantis
Arizona mantis is a common name applied to various species of praying mantis native to Arizona, particularly:
Fairy pitta
The female lays from 4 to 6 eggs per bredding attempt, from May to mid-July. The egg has a light gray background with small light brownish purple and grey dots, and is 25-27.5 mm in the major axis and 19-22.5 mm in the minor axis. Both male and female incubate the eggs; the female usually feeds the hatchlings, while the male keeps watch. In the first 4 days after hatching, the fairy pitta rarely leaves the nest. This is probably because temperatures are low during the rainy season and the nestling hatches without any down feathers. The nestling has its first plumage within 14 days after hatching. Throughout the breeding season, the adult bird rarely goes farther than 100–400 m from the nest. In June or July, the chick fledges, but the rearing continues until the nestling is ready to migrate south. The average reproductive success of the fairy pitta is 41.9%.
Anasa tristis
In the southern part of its range, the adult female "Anasa tristis" lays two or three batches of about eighteen eggs, but in the northern part of the range it just lays a single batch. The eggs are oval, somewhat flattened and bronze in colour, and are deposited on the underside of the leaves of the host plant. They may be clustered close together or more widely dispersed but are often regularly arranged. The eggs hatch after seven to nine days into nymphs which have five instar stages. The first instar nymphs are hairy and green and about in length. Each successive instar is darker in colour, larger and less hairy. The fifth instar is dark grey, with developing wing pads and about in length. The complete nymphal stage lasts about 33 days.
Ilomantis
Ilomantis is a genus of praying mantis.
Tarachodes gigas
Tarachodes gigas is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Tarachodes".
Mantis
As in closely related insect groups in the superorder Dictyoptera, mantises go through three life stages: egg, nymph, and adult (mantises are among the hemimetabolous insects). For smaller species, the eggs may hatch in 3–4 weeks as opposed to 4–6 weeks for larger species. The nymphs may be colored differently from the adult, and the early stages are often mimics of ants. A mantis nymph grows bigger as it molts its exoskeleton. Molting can happen five to 10 times before the adult stage is reached, depending on the species. After the final molt, most species have wings, though some species remain wingless or brachypterous ("short-winged"), particularly in the female sex. The lifespan of a mantis depends on the species; smaller ones may live 4–8 weeks, while larger species may live 4–6 months.
Amantis
Amantis is a genus of praying mantises native to Asia and the islands of the Pacific Ocean
Amorphoscelis siebersi
Amorphoscelis siebersis is a species of praying mantis found in Borneo.
Miomantis equalis
Miomantis equalis is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Miomantis" in the order Mantodea.
Amorphoscelis reticulata
Amorphoscelis reticulata is a species of praying mantis that derives from Sarawak.
Miomantis exilis
Miomantis exilis is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Miomantis" in the order Mantodea.
Amorphoscelis orientalis
Amorphoscelis orientalis is a species of praying mantis native to Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania.
Oligonicella scudderi
Male "O. scudderi" are sometimes caught in black light traps at night, and have been seen feeding on small flies, caddis flies and wasps. Females probably have a similar diet. When disturbed they tend to hide in tussocks of little bluestem grass ("Schizachyrium scoparium") where their colouration makes them difficult to spot. They can best be caught by brushing a small-mesh net through the grass. As is the case with other mantis species, the eggs are laid in a clutch covered with foam which hardens into an egg case.
Amorphoscelis rufula
Amorphoscelis rufula is a species of praying mantis native to Borneo.
Ameles poggii
Ameles poggii is a species of praying mantis found in Libya.
Tarachodes taboranus
Tarachodes taboranus is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Tarachodes".
Mandé creation myth
The Mandé creation myth is the traditional creation myth of the Mandé peoples of southern Mali. The story begins when Mangala, the creator god, tries making a "balaza" seed but it failed. Then he made two eleusine seeds of different kinds, which the people of Keita call "the egg of the world in two twin parts which were to procreate". Then Mangala made three more pairs of seeds, and each pair became the four elements, the four directions, as corners in the framework of the world's creation. This he folded into a hibiscus seed. The twin pairs of seeds, which are seen as having opposite sex, are referred to as the "egg" or "placenta of the world". This egg held an additional two pairs of twins, one male and one female, who were the archetype of people.
Mantidae
Mantidae is the largest family of the order Mantodea, commonly known as praying mantises; most are tropical or subtropical. Historically, this was the only family in the order, and many references still use the term "mantid" to refer to any mantis. Technically, however, "mantid" refers only to members of the family Mantidae, and not the 14 remaining families of mantises. Some of the most recent classifications have promoted a number of the mantid subfamilies to the rank of family, e.g. Iridopterygidae, Sibyllidae, Tarachodidae, Thespidae, and Toxoderidae, while other classifications have reduced the number of subfamilies without elevating to higher rank.
Menacanthus
Menacanthus is a genus of chewing lice which parasitise birds. The taxonomy of this genus is highly uncertain. Most taxonomies have given this genus as having over a hundred species, but recent studies have synonymised dozens of species and found other names to be invalid. Some "Menacanthus" species remain to be discovered, or are synonymised in error. "Menacanthus" lice feed on the blood of a wide variety of birds, including chickens, by piercing the quills of feathers and gnawing the epidermis. In doing so, they can spread disease and lower egg production. In "Menacanthus stramineus", eggs are incubated for four or five days, each of the three nymphal stages lasts for about three days, and adult life for about twelve days. Females produce as many as four eggs in a day, averaging 1.6 eggs a day, with egg production peaking 5–6 days after reaching adulthood. On sparrows, "Menacanthus" lice are particularly common, and are found in many different niches, consuming blood and feathers.
Eremiaphila aristidis
Eremiaphila aristidis is a species of praying mantis in the family Eremiaphilidae.
Dwarf gourami
Once the nest has been built the male will begin courting the female, usually in the afternoon or evening. He signals his intentions by swimming around the female with flared fins, attempting to draw her to the nest where he will continue his courting display. If the female accepts the male she will begin swimming in circles with the male beneath the bubble nest. When she is ready to spawn she touches the male on either the back or the tail with her mouth. Upon this signal the male will embrace the female, turning her first on her side and finally on her back. At this point the female will release approximately five dozen clear eggs, which are immediately fertilized by the male. Most of the eggs will float up into the bubble nest. Eggs that stray are collected by the male and placed in the nest. Once all the eggs are secured in the nest, the pair will spawn again. If more than one female is present in the breeding tank, the male may spawn with all of them. The spawning sessions will continue for two to four hours, and produce between 300 and 800 eggs. Dwarf gouramis have a fecundity of about 600 eggs.[1] Upon completion, the male will place a fine layer of bubbles beneath the eggs, assuring that they remain in the bubble nest.The male will protect the eggs and fry. In 12 to 24 hours the fry will hatch, and continue developing within the protection of the bubble nest. After three days they are sufficiently developed to be free swimming and leave the nest. When the fry are two to three days old the male should also be removed or he may consume the young.
Bird egg
Bird eggs are laid by the females and incubated for a time that varies according to the species; a single young hatches from each egg. Average clutch sizes range from one (as in condors) to about 17 (the grey partridge). Clutch size may vary latitudinally within a species. Some birds lay eggs even when the eggs have not been fertilized; it is not uncommon for pet owners to find their lone bird nesting on a clutch of infertile eggs, which are sometimes called wind-eggs.
Unicorn mantis
Unicorn mantis is a common name for several species of praying mantis across different genera with horn-like protrusions on their heads including:
Tarachodes afzelii
Most mantids do not guard their eggs or care for their young. The female "Tarachodes afzelii" lays a batch of up to two hundred eggs contained in a cryptically-coloured ootheca. She then broods the eggs by concealing the ootheca under her abdomen as she rests on the bark. She defends the eggs by driving away the tiny chalcid wasps that try to lay their eggs inside the ootheca, and the ants and beetles that would like to feed on the eggs. Although the eggs can develop without the mother brooding them, the hatching success rate is much lower in unbrooded eggs.
Calamothespis vuattouxi
Calamothespis vuattouxi is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Calamothespis" in the order Mantodea.
Kurixalus idiootocus
The breeding season of "Kurixalus idiootocus" lasts from March to June. Male frogs aggregate in suitable locations and call from the ground or low shrubs and are aggressive with one another. The advertisement call consists of a series of bird-like trills lasting several seconds, repeated periodically. Unusually, the egg masses containing about 180 eggs are deposited on land in close proximity to water; in reference to this, the specific epithet is derived from the Ancient Greek “"idios",” or "peculiar", and ""ootocos"," or "egg-laying", according to the describers Kuramoto and Wang. The eggs have two jelly-like coatings, the outer one being tough and non-sticky. They are laid in depressions in the ground, under stones, in crevices or holes and are sometimes covered with dead leaves. Hatching does not take place until heavy rainfall occurs and the depression fills up or the tadpoles get washed into the nearby ditch, pond or temporary pool. The tadpoles are dark brown, sometimes with black spots, and are herbivorous.
Amorphoscelis angolica
Amorphoscelis angolica is a species of praying mantis found in Angola.
Yersiniops solitarius
Yersiniops solitarius is a species of praying mantis native to the United States. They are about in length and have long rear legs which aid them in jumping.
Tarachodes nyassanus
Tarachodes nyassanus is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Tarachodes".
Amorphoscelis brunneipennis
Amorphoscelis brunneipennis is a species of praying mantis found in India and Sri Lanka.
African mantis
African mantis and African praying mantis are common names for many species of praying mantis native to Africa.
Stagmomantis californica
Like all mantids, the California mantis is carnivorous, consuming virtually any other insect it perceives as small enough to be eaten, including other members of its own species. Males and females come together to reproduce but otherwise the adults are strictly solitary. Nymphs hatch in the spring from hard egg cases laid the previous fall. Adults do not overwinter—lifespan is seldom more than one year and usually less than nine months, with females sometimes surviving longer into the winter season than males, presumably allowing the females more time to lay their oothecas on suitable vegetation or rocks before dying. Though fast runners, both sexes are also capable of using their wings for flight, and the males are especially good flyers: the wings of the male extend well beyond the end of the abdomen, whereas those of the female do not extend more than half this distance. Males are often attracted to large juicy lights at night and can sometimes be found swarming around them along with other insects, though as ambush hunters, they fly at night primarily for dispersal and not in search of food.
Mantis (disambiguation)
Mantis is the common name of any insect in the order Mantodea, also commonly known as praying mantises.
Amorphoscelis annulicornis
Amorphoscelis annulicornis is a species of praying mantis found in Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, and Malaysia.
Eremiaphila savignyi
Eremiaphila savignyi is a species of praying mantis in the family Eremiaphilidae.
Metoxypilus costalis
Metoxypilus costalis is a species of praying mantis.
Mantoida maya
Mantoida maya, common name little Yucatán mantis, is a species of praying mantis found in Mexico and the U.S. state of Florida.
Manakin
Building of the nest (an open cup, generally low in vegetation), incubation for 18 to 21 days, and care of the young for 13 to 15 days are undertaken by the female alone, since most manakins do not form stable pairs. (The helmeted manakin does form pairs, but the male's contribution is limited to defending the territory.) The normal clutch is two eggs, which are buff or dull white, marked with brown.
Catasigerpes erlangeri
Catasigerpes erlangeri is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Catasigerpes" in the order Mantodea.
Quadrupedalism
Most quadrupedal animals are tetrapods but there are a few exceptions. For instance, among the insects, the praying mantis is a quadruped.
Rainbow pitta
An average clutch of rainbow pitta eggs contains four eggs, but some have three or five. The eggs are rounded and white with sepia spots and blotches and underlying grey markings. They measure on average. Both parents incubate the eggs for 14 days. Incubation stints last for an average of 87 minutes and the pair incubate their eggs for 90% of the daylight hours. The chicks are born naked, with black skin and yellow claws. Their eyes open after four days, and the down, when it comes in, is grey. Both parents feed the chicks, with an average time between feeds of just 7.5 minutes. Earthworms are broken up before being fed to smaller nestlings. Chicks fledge after 14 days, before they are fully grown. They continue to be fed for between 15 and 20 days after leaving the nest, after which they are independent of their parents, and may even be driven out of the territory by their parents. Having fledged one brood, some rainbow pittas may build a new nest and lay a second brood; in one study, two out of four closely studied pairs relaid. Pairs may even build the next nest while still feeding the previous brood.
Tarachodes taramassi
Tarachodes taramassi is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Tarachodes".
Tarachodes smithi
Tarachodes smithi is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Tarachodes".
European mantis
The intervals of oviposition after copulating depend on the food intake and the overall physical fitness of the female. It takes on average eleven days for the female to form and deposit an ootheca which contains around 100 to 200 eggs. Copulation usually takes place in September or October but the eggs overwinter and the larva don’t hatch until the following spring. The hatching is strongly influenced by environmental conditions like temperature (at least 17°) and humidity. Females prefer to deposit their eggs on solid substrates at warm and sunny sites. Most eggs from one ootheca hatch at the same time along the entire convex site as worm-like pre-larva (L1). The hatchings always occur in the mornings.
Orthodera novaezealandiae
Orthodera novaezealandiae, known as the New Zealand mantis or the New Zealand praying mantis, is a species of praying mantis which is, as both the scientific name and common names suggest, indigenous and endemic to New Zealand.
Pitta
The clutch size varies by species. Typically three to five eggs are laid, but two is typical for the garnet pitta, whereas six is more common for the blue-winged pitta and the Indian pitta. It is thought that species with higher levels of predation tend to have smaller clutches, as smaller clutches involve fewer provisioning trips that might alert a predator to the presence of a nest, and smaller clutches are easier to replace if lost. Clutch size may vary within a species depending on latitude. A study of noisy pittas found that birds in the tropics had smaller clutch sizes than those in more temperate environments. The eggs of pittas are slightly pointed at one end, and generally smooth (the deeply pitted eggs of the superb pitta being the exception to this). The size of eggs varies by species, with smaller-sized species laying smaller eggs. There is also some variation in egg size within a species in species with large ranges. For example, the eggs of noisy pittas are smaller closer to the tropics. Eggs are typically white or creamy, and usually slightly glossy.
Both parents incubate the clutch, the period between laying and hatching being between 14 and 18 days (14 to 16 being more typical). The chicks usually hatch asynchronously, over a number of days, but in some species the hatching is synchronous. On hatching the Gurney's pitta parents are reported to consume the eggshells. This behaviour ensures that the calcium used to create the eggs is not lost. It is unknown if other species do this, but it is a common behaviour among birds. As with the incubation, both parents are involved in rearing the chicks. The chicks of pittas are entirely altricial, hatching both naked and blind, and dependent upon their parents for warmth, food and nest sanitation. Young chicks are brooded continuously, with the female brooding alone in some species and sharing responsibilities with the male in others. The males and females make regular feeding trips to the chicks; one study of Gurney's pittas found a pair made 2300 feeding visits to the nest, traveling an estimated over the nestling stage. Earthworms are important food items for many species, and the dominant item in the nestling diet of some. 73% of the parental visits of fairy pittas, 63% of rainbow pitta's, up to 79% of Gurney's pitta's visits involved bringing earthworms. Parents can and do carry more than one item in their bills during visits; in a study of breeding fairy pittas, as many as six items were observed being brought in a single visit, although less than four was typical. When the chicks are small. prey may be broken up prior to being fed to the chicks, and larger prey items like skinks and snakes are only fed to the older chicks able to manage them.
Oligonicella brunneri
Oligonicella brunneri is one of the smallest species of praying mantis and "scarcely reach(es) one centimeter in length."
Amorphoscelis elegans
Amorphoscelis elegans is a species of praying mantis found in Ghana, Guinea, Togo, and on Bioko island.
Amorphoscelis subnigra
Amorphoscelis subnigraa is a species of praying mantis found in Borneo.
Ameles kervillei
Ameles kervillei is a species of praying mantis that lives in Syria.
European mantis
The European mantis ("Mantis religiosa") is a large hemimetabolic insect in the family of the Mantidae ('mantids'), which is the largest family of the order Mantodea (mantises). Their common name praying mantis is derived from the distinctive posture of the first pair of legs that can be observed in animals in repose. It resembles a praying attitude. Both males and females have elongated bodies with two pairs of wings. The most striking features that all Mantodea share are a very mobile, triangular head with large compound eyes and their first pair of legs (the 'raptorial legs') which is highly modified for the efficient capture and restraint of fast moving or flying prey.
Gongylus gongylodes
Gongylus gongylodes, also known as the wandering violin mantis, ornate mantis or Indian rose mantis, is an insect of the order Mantodea. Characterized by extremely slender limbs with large appendages. It is not a particularly aggressive species and often kept as a pet by hobbyists. It primarily feeds on flying insects. Its native range is in southern India and Sri Lanka. It can reach sizes of up to 11 cm. The males of the species are capable of flight. This species are a communal species in that they live and breed in large groups without unnecessary cannibalism.
Orange-winged amazon
The orange-winged amazon nests in tree cavities. The eggs are white and there are usually three or four in a clutch. The female incubates the eggs for about 26 days and the chicks leave the nest about 60 days after hatching.
Rhombodera valida
Rhombodera valida is a species of praying mantis found in Asia and nearby islands.
Macroctopus
"Macroctopus maorum" construct the posterior mantle to push out the eggs during egg laying. The female usually will stop eating for 2 weeks during the laying eggs period and continue to look after the eggs until they hatched. "Macroctopus maorum" usually lay approximate 7000 eggs. Their eggs are usually clusters of 3-12 eggs and cemented directly to the substratum. "Octopus maorum" swept across the eggs sheet with one or more tentacles to keep the eggs well oxygenated, clean and safe from predators. During brooding period female "Macroctopus maorum" will stop feeding so that it produce less wastes and ensure the water quality is good for the eggs. When the eggs are about to hatch "Macroctopus maorum" will frequently squirt water on the eggs using siphon until the eggs hatched. After the eggs hatch, the female "Macroctopus maorum" will swim away and might die as she has been weakened from guarding the eggs. The hatchlings are planktonic and have 7 to 8 suckers per arm. If the hatchling manages to survive, the life cycle will be repeated.
List of mantids of Sri Lanka
They are mostly ambush predators, but a few ground-dwelling species are found actively pursuing their prey. They normally live for about a year. In cooler climates, the adults lay eggs in autumn then die. The eggs are protected by their hard capsules and hatch in the spring. Females sometimes practice sexual cannibalism, eating their mates after copulation. Occasionally, the females decapitate the males just before or during mating. Over 2,400 species of mantis in about 430 genera are recognized.
Mantispidae
First-instar mantispids use two strategies to locate spider eggs: larvae may burrow directly through the silk of egg sacs they find, or they may board and be carried by female spiders prior to sac production (phoresy), entering the sac as it is being constructed. Mantispids that board spiders usually adopt positions on or near the pedicel; some species may enter the spider's book lungs. Larvae maintain themselves aboard spiders by feeding on spider hemolymph. Transfers of larvae from spider to spider are possible during spider mating or cannibalism. All of the major groups of hunting spiders are attacked by spider-boarding mantispids; the egg sacs of web-building species are also entered by egg-sac penetrators.
Among the Neuroptera (which includes lacewings and owlflies), mantidflies are apparently most closely related to the Dilaridae (pleasing lacewings) and the thorny (Rhachiberothidae) and beaded lacewings (Berothidae). These and the prehistoric Mesithonidae - probably a paraphyletic assemblage rather than a natural group - form the superfamily Mantispoidea.
List of mantids of Sri Lanka
Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species and about 430 genera in 15 families. The largest family is the Mantidae ("mantids"). Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. They have triangular heads with bulging eyes supported on flexible necks. Their elongated bodies may or may not have wings, but all Mantodea have fore legs that are greatly enlarged and adapted for catching and gripping prey; their upright posture, while remaining stationary with fore arms folded, has led to the common name praying mantis.
Sang piao xiao
The use of praying mantis egg case as a medicine is described in the "Shennong Bencao Jing", a pharmacological treatise on Chinese herbology from circa 100 AD. Their medicinal use might originate from their occasional occurrence on the mulberry plant "Morus alba". As its leaves were necessary food for the caterpillars that make silk, much of the plant – including branches, fruits, leaves, and root bark – became revered in ancient China as source of herbal medicine. Says one source, "it would not be surprising that these egg cases, which appeared on some of the plants, were also collected and considered a valuable medicine."
Patanga succincta
Females lay one to four pods, each containing up to 150 eggs, in soft soil. These hatch 4 to 8 weeks later, depending on locality, and the nymphs pass through about seven developmental stages over a period of several months, before becoming immature adults. There is a single generation each year. In Thailand, the young nymphs feed on short grasses but after about the third moult they move into crops such as maize. In the morning they feed in full sun at the top of the plant, by midday they have moved down into cooler, shadier locations, and in the evening they move upward again, congregating on the sunny west-facing side of the plant. The immature adults of non-swarming populations congregate on a few adjacent maize plants, flying briefly to another location if disturbed. After the maize is harvested, they move back to grassland.
Bantia michaelisi
Bantia michaelisi is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Bantia" in the order Mantodea.
Alalomantis
Alalomantis is a genus of praying mantis in the family Mantidae.
Amorphoscelis singaporana
Amorphoscelis singaporana is a species of praying mantis found in Singapore, India, Sumatra, and Thailand.
Tarachodes ugandensis
Tarachodes ugandensis is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Tarachodes".
Mantis
Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species in about 430 genera in 15 families. The largest family is the Mantidae ("mantids"). Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. They have triangular heads with bulging eyes supported on flexible necks. Their elongated bodies may or may not have wings, but all Mantodea have forelegs that are greatly enlarged and adapted for catching and gripping prey; their upright posture, while remaining stationary with forearms folded, has led to the common name praying mantis.
Indigo bunting
These birds are generally monogamous but not always faithful to their partner. In the western part of their range, they often hybridize with the lazuli bunting. Nesting sites are located in dense shrub or a low tree, generally above the ground, but rarely up to . The nest itself is constructed of leaves, coarse grasses, stems, and strips of bark, lined with soft grass or deer hair and is bound with spider web. It is constructed by the female, who cares for the eggs alone. The clutch consists of one to four eggs, but usually contains three to four. The eggs are white and usually unmarked, though some may be marked with brownish spots, averaging in size. The eggs are incubated for 12 to 13 days and the chicks are altricial at hatching. Chicks fledge 10 to 12 days after hatching. Most pairs raise two broods per year, and the male may feed newly fledged young while the females incubate the next clutch of eggs.
Ameles decolor
Ameles decolor is a species of praying mantis from the family Mantidae native to the west Mediterranean.
Oxyothespis
Oxyothespis is a genus of praying mantis in the subfamily Oxyothespinae.
Operation Praying Mantis
Air support
Amantis tristis
Amantis tristis is a species of praying mantis native to Borneo.
Anasigerpes
"Anasigerpes" is a genus of praying mantis in the family Acromantinae.
Caiman
Female caimans build a large nest in which to lay their eggs, which can be more than 1.5 metres wide. Female caimans lay between 10 and 50 eggs which hatch within about 6 weeks. Once they have hatched, the mother caiman takes her young to a shallow pool of water where they can learn how to hunt and swim.Below is a cladogram modified from Brochu (2011).
Mantoida nitida
Mantoida nitida is a species of praying mantis in the Mantoididae family.
Ameles picteti
Ameles picteti is a species of praying mantis found in Algeria, Sicily, and Spain.
Paratoxodera meggitti
Paratoxodera meggitti is a species of praying mantis found in China and Myanmar".
Manta ray
The fertilized eggs develop within the female's oviduct. At first, they are enclosed in an egg case while the developing embryos absorb the yolk. After hatching, the pups remain in the oviduct and receive additional nutrition from milky secretions. With no umbilical cord or placenta, the unborn pup relies on buccal pumping to obtain oxygen. Brood size is usually one or occasionally two. The gestation period is thought to be 12–13 months. When fully developed, the pup resembles a miniature adult and is expelled from the oviduct with no further parental care. In wild populations, an interval of 2 years between births may be normal, but a few individuals become pregnant in consecutive years, demonstrating an annual ovulatory cycle. The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium has had some success in breeding "M. alfredi", with one female giving birth in three successive years. In one of these pregnancies, the gestation period was 372 days and at birth the pup had a width of and weight of . In southern Africa, "M. birostris" males mature at while females reach maturity slightly over that. In Indonesia, "M. birostris" males appear to mature at , while female mature around . In southern Africa, "M. alfredi" matures at widths of for males and for females. In the Maldives, males of "M. alfredi" mature at a width of , while females mature at . In Hawaii, "M. alfredi" matures at a width of for males and for females. Female mantas appear to mature at 8–10 years. Manta rays may live as long as 50 years.
Bantia metzi
Bantia metzi is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Bantia" in the order Mantodea.
Tinamou
There may be as many as 16 eggs in a clutch, a consequence of several females laying in the same nest. The more mature male will attract more females and may have the eggs of up to four females under him. The variegated and ornate tinamous have single-female nests, and consequently only one or two eggs per nest. This may result from food shortage in their ranges and the consequent ability to care for only one or two chicks.
Anaxarcha sinensis
Anaxarcha sinensis is a species of praying mantis found in China.
Sphodromantis quinquecallosa
Sphodromantis quinquecallosa is a species of praying mantis found in Africa.
Eremiaphila uvarovi
Eremiaphila uvarovi is a species of praying mantis in the family Eremiaphilidae.
Archimantis latistyla
The male stick mantis is smaller than the female and is about 90 mm long and can fly; the female cannot fly and is about 110 mm long. Reproduction occurs when the male injects a single sperm at a time and can last up to half an hour. When mating, the male ejaculates on the female with a miniature penis which is then inserted into a tiny opening at the female's posterior. The male clips its abdomen to the female's egg holding compartment and then the male inserts a single sperm at a time.
Gonypetyllis semuncialis
Gonypetyllis semuncialis is one of the smallest species of praying mantis and "scarcely reach(es) one centimeter in length."
Amorphoscelis philippina
Amorphoscelisphilippina is a species of praying mantis found in the Philippines.
Oxyothespis mammillata
Oxyothespis mammillata is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Oxyothespis" in the order Mantodea.
Tarachodes okahandyanus
Tarachodes okahandyanus is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Tarachodes".
Galinthias occidentalis
Galinthias occidentalis is a species of praying mantis native to Africa.
Mantis
Mantises can be loosely categorized as being macropterous (long-winged), brachypterous (short-winged), micropterous (vestigial-winged), or apterous (wingless). If not wingless, a mantis has two sets of wings: the outer wings, or tegmina, are usually narrow and leathery. They function as camouflage and as a shield for the hind wings, which are clearer and more delicate.
The abdomen of all mantises consists of 10 tergites, with a corresponding set of nine sternites visible in males and seven visible in females. The abdomen tends to be slimmer in males than females, but ends in a pair of cerci in both sexes.
Anaxarcha graminea
Anaxarcha graminea is a species of praying mantis found in India and Malaysia.
Oligonicella scudderi
Oligonicella scudderi, common name Scudder's mantis or slender prairie mantid, is a species of praying mantis native to the Southern United States. It is a small brown insect; the males can fly but the females are wingless.
Bantia nana
Bantia nana is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Bantia" in the order Mantodea.
Amantis lofaoshanensis
Amantis lofaoshanensis is a species of praying mantis native to China.
Emperor goose
The emperor goose breeds on tundra, building its nests in areas or closer to the coast. The nests are typically constructed in marshes. They are built as holes in the ground without containing nesting material, but are later built up with vegetation, such as leaves, and feathers, which the female plucks from herself. The species usually lays 4–6 eggs, but it can lay anywhere from 2 to 8; eggs are often laid in the nests of other emperor geese families. Eggs measure by on average, with an elliptical shape and a smooth shell. They are initially white colored, but become speckled with stains from their nest. Egg incubation, usually lasting 24 days, is performed only by females. According to the "The Game Birds of California", a 1918 book, surveys of the species' nests showed that the male did not stay with the nest. However, the Beardsley Zoo says that although the male does not help build the nest, it defends it. The eggs hatch in late June and early July. Exhibiting precociality, young are able to walk and swim hours after hatching, as well as feed themselves. They typically vacate the nest the same day as their hatching, although they do not wander far from their parents until after two months. Young can fly once 50−60 days old. 10% of emperor geese remain alive after their first year.
Individuals of the species usually only interact with their family; however, larger flocks collect during the breeding season and the molting season. It is one of the most unsocial geese species; the only goose less social than it is the black brant. It stays low when flying, usually keeping below above the ground and often coming close to touching the ground with its wings. In the summer, the species' diet consists of vegetation, such as shoots, roots, and berries, while in the winter it primarily eats bivalve molluscs, which it uses its sense of touch to catch, and algae. Unlike other geese species, its diet mostly consists of animals, causing its flesh to have a strong flavor. When living near water, it eats at the edge of water bodies, which has given it the name "Beach Goose". If the species feels threatened, it goes into a body of water and swims away until the threat is a safe distance from it. Its vocalizations, according to Edward William Nelson, sound like "kla-ha, kla-ha, kla-ha", and can be differentiated from those of other geese by having a more "nasal" sound. It vocalizes less often than other geese, such as the white-fronted goose. Although the species can live to age 25 in captivity, it reaches age 12 in the wild.
Ant mimicry
While praying mantises are carnivorous insects, they also are in danger of being eaten by larger animals. The young instars of several mantids such as the bark mantid "Tarachodes afzelii" are Batesian mimics of ants, but there seem to be no mantids that mimic models in any other taxon. Curiously, the young instars derive protection from their resemblance to ants, while bigger instars and adults, neither of which are ant mimics, eat ants.
Ameles dumonti
Ameles dumonti is a species of praying mantis that inhabits Tunisia and Morocco.
Tarachodes schulthessi
Tarachodes schulthessi is a species of praying mantis in the genus "Tarachodes".