Oh, Baby!

I LOVE a Praying Mantis. They're probably the neatest insect on the entire Earth.

Yesterday while eating lunch outside at work, a MICROSCOPIC baby Praying Mantis found it's way onto our blanket. After staring in awe for a while, I safely placed it back in the grass to go do whatever it is that Mantises do.

In honour of the little guy: Some Mantis facts. You too shall see that they're amazing!


-There are about 1,700 varieties of praying mantis.

-The two forward legs of the mantis have sharp spines like a jack knife.

-The mantis uses its two front legs to attack it's prey.

-The mantis females are the among biggest insects.

-The latin name of the praying mantis is Tenodera Sinensis.

-The female mantis lays up to 300 eggs.

-The mantis will attack butterflies, bees, beetles, frogs, spiders, mice, lizards, and small birds.

-The female sometimes eats the male after mating.

-The mantis has very good eyesight.

-The female mantis can not fly due to all of the eggs in her abdomen.

-Mantis nymphs march single file.

-When nymphs hunt they eat leafhoppers, aphids, and very small flies.

-The mantis sheds its skin twelve times before it is full grown.

-The mantis nymph is tiny like a mosquito.

-The front legs of the nymph have claws for holding their prey.

-Praying mantises bite the back of their victim's neck to paralyze it.

-Praying Mantises are the only insects that can turn their heads 360 degrees.