This Chinese Praying Mantis poses against the needles of a Blue Spruce after becoming too big for it's "britches"' and molting. The remains of the mantis' skin is to the right of the mantis. The male Praying Mantis may molt as many as 7 times and the female will molt another 2 times, in most cases. Mantids have excellent eyesight utilizing their 5 eyes. They are also the only insect that can rotate their heads 180 degrees in order to track their prey. It's a common myth that mantids are federally protected and illegal to kill. The truth is that no state or the U.S. Government has a law protecting the Praying Mantis and it's been shown that mantids are their own worst enemy. Most males are eaten by their mate immediately after mating accounting for the greatest threat to mantis longevity.
Photograph by Sue Peters, Allen Co., IN
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