Carolina Mantid – Stagmomantis carolina

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Carolina Mantids

 

Latin Name: Stagmomantis carolina

Common Name: Carolina Mantids, Carolina mantis, Praying mantids, Praying mantis.

Appearance: Male Carolina mantis is usually 54 mm long and female Carolina mantis is a bit longer and have a length of 47-60 mm. They have tannish brown camouflaged body color and don’t have a black spot on the coxa. They have characteristics folded forelegs close to the thorax resemble being in prayer-like posture, due to which they are called praying mantids. They have a small triangular head with a rectangular facial shield. They have large globular brown eyes and wings reaching only 2/3 of the abdomen. They have spiny legs, which they use to capture their prey.

Host Plants or Food: Caterpillars, Bees, Moths, Grasshoppers, Flies, Crickets, etc.

Territory: Northern America, Central America

Mode of Damage: They prey on different plant pests, so they are considered Beneficial Garden Insect.

Habits and Life History:

  • Carolina mantids are found in meadows, gardens, woodlands, field crops, and the areas having more herbs and shrubs. They get mixed with foliage and wait for the prey to come and attack suddenly to capture them.
  • Sexual cannibalism occurs roughly one out of four times in Carolina mantids. The female preys on his partner during or after courtship and gets food.
  • Female mantid lays eggs in an ootheca which is attached to stems and twigs formed by the female to protect the eggs from winter. They overwinter as eggs. There are dozens to hundreds of eggs in an ootheca.
  • The eggs hatch into nymphs and get dispersed by wind; if they remain crowded together, they start eating one another, and only the solitary will survive.
  • Nymphs resemble adults but differ in body size and are wingless. Their nymph can adjust their body color according to their environment during molting.
  • Nymphs undergo several moltings and finally develop into mature Carolina mantids.
  • The adult mantid can’t survive winter and perish with the first frost. They have only one generation per year.