Praying Mantis

1. Insects
2. Praying Mantis

The photo above shows a Praying Mantis (Tenodera aridifolia, family: Mantidae). The praying mantis poses an attack when the predators are around, like human beings (see the photos below) which is taken as 'praying'. Its name is taken from the gesture as well as the Japanese name kamakiri (kama=ax, kiri=that which cuts). The blades of the axes indeed are the modified form of tibia of its forelegs.

The praying mantis has three ocelli between the large compound eyes. Like all other insects, there are pairs of maxillary and labial palps.

Other Mantidae species

Hierodula patellifera is a smaller sized praying mantis with broad thorax and wings. There are irregular shaped white spots on its wings. Its Japanese name hara-biro-kamakiri means hara=belly, biro=wide, kamakiri=praying mantis.