The Carolina mantis (''Stagmomantis carolina'') is a species of

praying mantis Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species in about 460 genera in 33 families. The largest family is the Mantidae ("mantids"). Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. They ha ...

of the subfamily Stagmomantinae.

Sexual cannibalism Sexual cannibalism is when an animal, usually the female, cannibalizes its mate prior to, during, or after copulation.Polis, G.A. & Farley, R.D. Behavior and Ecology of Mating in the journal of Arachnology 33-46 (1979). It is a trait observed in ...

occurs in roughly one quarter of all intersexual encounters of this species, though specimens of this species will engage in cannibalism regardless of age or gender if the opportunity presents itself. Praying Mantis - Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina)

Praying Mantis - Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina)

The Carolina mantis is the state

insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body ( head, thorax and abdomen), three ...

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

Ootheca An ootheca (pl. ''oothecae'' ) is a type of egg mass made by any member of a variety of species including mollusks (such as ''Turbinella laevigata''), mantises, and cockroaches. The word is a Latinized combination of ''oo-'', meaning "egg", f ...

e can be purchased in garden supply centers as a means of

biological control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, such as insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases, using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also i ...

of pest insects. However, only those labeled as this species should be released because most oothecae sold in the United States belong to the invasive

Chinese mantis The Chinese mantis (''Tenodera sinensis'') is a species of mantis native to Asia and the nearby islands. In 1896 this species was accidentally introduced by a nursery tender at Mt. Airy near Philadelphia, United States. ''Tenodera sinensis'' oft ...

Description

Adult females are 47 to 60 millimeters (2-2.5 inches) in length while adult males are usually about 54 millimeters (2.2 inches) in length. First

instar An instar (, from the Latin '' īnstar'', "form", "likeness") is a developmental stage of arthropods, such as insects, between each moult (''ecdysis''), until sexual maturity is reached. Arthropods must shed the exoskeleton in order to grow or ...

nymphs are 7-12 millimeters (.028-.047 inches) in length. When the nymphs eat more, their abdomens get much longer. The Carolina mantis has a dusty brown, gray or green color useful as

camouflage Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the b ...

in certain environments. The Carolina mantis' color varies because the nymphs are able to adjust their color to match the environment they are in at the time of molting. They can adjust their color over each molt, if necessary, until they reach their final molt to adulthood. An unusual trait is that its wings only extend three-quarters of the way down the abdomen in mature females; this trait is also seen in ''

Iris oratoria ''Iris oratoria'', known by the common name Mediterranean mantis (or less frequently iris mantis), due to humans first studying it in lands around the Mediterranean Sea, is a species of praying mantis. Its range is expanding in the Middle East, ...

'', which can be distinguished by the large eyespots on the hind wings (inner wings) of both adult male and female ''

''. Both adult male and female ''Stagmomantis carolina'' have a dark-coloured dot on each of their forewings (outer wings), which may be partially hidden in a brown or dark colour morph individual.

Distribution and habitat

''Stagmomantis carolina'' is native to the Americas and can be found from the United States southwards to Brazil.
Mantodea.speciesifle.org species Stagmomantis carolina (Johansson, 1763) Retrieved Date:2014/June/27

References

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Stabheuschrecken und Gottesanbeterinnen im Terrarium

External links

Bugguide.net Species ''Stagmomantis carolina'' - Carolina Mantis
* David Edwin Hill: Carolina Mantis (''Stagmomantis carolina'') feeding on tettigonid cricket �
Video
* {{Taxonbar, from1=Q580291, from2=Q4840076 Fauna of the Southeastern United States Insects described in 1763 Mantidae Mantodea of North America