Praying mantis fact file e

The European mantis (Mantis religiosa) is a large hemimetabolic insect in the Mantidae family, which is the largest family of the order Mantodea (mantises).

Appearing in the third spot in this listing of 7 Beguiling Insects of Bulgaria, though only due to random selection, we give you the remarkable Conehead Mantis.

Recent scientific reports confirm the presence of two species: the European mantis (Ameles spallanzania) and the invasive Asian giant mantis (Hierodula tenuidentata). Other species like the Mediterranean mantis (Iris oratoria) are also native to the region.

The sexual behavior of praying mantis in general is curious, so has received interest from scientists over the last century. The differences between the various species are well known.

In M. religiosa, courtship and mating are separated into two steps: Preliminary courtship begins with the first visual contact between the animals and ends with the first physical contact. Copulation begins with physical contact and ends when the spermatophore is deposited.

The phenomenon that conspecifics are attacked and eaten after, during, and even before copulation is called sexual cannibalism. Many examples are known in various groups of invertebrates, including the mantids. Some speculations exist about the benefits of this behaviour, but its causes are not fully understood yet.