Praying mantises get their name from their stance. Mantises, or mantids, are tall, slim fellows that stand on four skinny, stick-like legs. Two big claws held out in front of them gives them the appearance of a praying man. The word "mantis" is Greek for "prophet," "seer," or "soothsayer." Praying mantises have an eerie way of swiveling their heads slowly, keeping their huge eyes glued to their prey ~ or their predator ~ a trait that makes them seem all the more mysterious (and just a little bit creepy) to us human mantis-watchers. This head-swivelling trick is unique to mantises, among insects. No other insect can look over its own shoulder.
Solemn and wise as mantids may look, don't think that they are praying for world peace or contemplating the nature of God. Most likely, they are keeping an eye out for their next meal. Those front claws are powerful pincers, used for grabbing prey ~ something they do with a lightning-fast speed that the solemn stance belies. Their claws are covered with sharp spikes, making the mantid's grasp a deadly one for insects, newts, and even, occasionally, hummingbirds.
Does the female mantis really eat the male after mating? Sometimes, but this is not usually the case. Normally the male goes on to mate again. Cannibalism, though it does occur, is more rare than the collective imagination of humanity would have it. As for the idea that mantises can "charm" or "hypnotize" people or that their spit is poisonous ~ that is completely false. Just put it down to urban (or in this case, rural) legend.
Praying Mantises
