Behavior, camouflaged and color morphs
Now you see me... Now you don't
aspects of camouflaged
Mantids are some of the top predators of the insect kingdom, however that doesn't mean they're not eaten as well. Because they are both hunters and prey, their behavior and anatomy evolved to maintain this balance.
Nearly every mantis species has some sort of mimicry in their anatomy. From extensions to their exoskeletons that resemble leaves, branches, moss or even flowers, to even their colors, everything is aimed at survival. Their bodies are often tuned into their environment, blending in seamlessly with their surroundings. Their behavior only heightens this camouflaged.
Color Morphs
Almost every species has some variation of color differences between individuals. Even siblings can have different colors that can also change between molts. There are several factors that play into this.
Most species will be colored depending on their environment to try to match their surroundings. But sometimes colors are dependent on humidity levels. Ghost mantis have a large range of colors from olive green, light browns to even black. The more humidity, the more green they will be.
There is also a genetic factor to it as well. Some populations will differ in color from others and can be interchanged via breeding. If you want your mantis to be a particular morph, you have to take all these factors into consideration. Adding more flowers or bright colors might bring out more pinks or greens to some species. More branches could bring out more browns.
Movement
For the most part mantids will sit motionless in a spot that best resembles their camouflaged. They are ambush predators, waiting for their prey to come to them. Many species will hang upside down as a way to maximize the usage of those front raptor claws. To any predator nearby they just look like an ordinary stick or leaf. As pets they still maintain this behavior and will often hang from the top of their habitat.
When they do move, they will often walk with a slow choppy gait, to mimic the movements of foliage blowing in the wind. They can run, and very fast at that, using all all six limbs to climb and hop on nearly any surface.
Threat Displays and feign death
When running and hiding don't work, mantids will show a threat display. They spread their legs in a stance with their thorax facing the threat. The abdomen and wings spread out showing as much surface as possible. This display is an attempt to appear larger than they actually are, deceiving the predator that they might be too big to eat. Those that don't have flashy wings will show off the mandibles and claws.
Several species will have patches of bright colors on the underside of their arms and the second pair of wings. The threat display flashes these colors as a warning. Some will have spots that mimic eyes tricking the predator into thinking they are looking at the head of a much larger animal.
Leaf like mantids will often utilize their camouflaged to feign death, falling from their perch with the legs tucked into the abdomen, appearing in all regards as a dead dried leaf on the ground. Once the threat passes they will get up and return to their hiding spots.
more bark than bite
One of the most frequent questions is will it bite? Anything with a mouth can bite. When all else fails a mantis will use its claws and mandible to defend themselves. But this is not is main defense and will often use all other techniques to stay safe first. To bite, you have to be up close and personal with something that might eat you.
Most bites from mantids is when a finger is mistaken for food. Many species are too small to do any kind of damage or even break skin. Larger species can give a good bite that can draw blood but its rare to get to that point if your mantis is fed and well care for.
Mantids lack any form of venom but a bite should be cleaned throughly with soap and water.
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