My Science School

By any name, these fascinating insects are formidable predators. They have triangular heads poised on a long "neck," or elongated thorax. Mantids can turn their heads 180 degrees to scan their surroundings with two large compound eyes and three other simple eyes located between them.

The closest relatives of mantises are termites and cockroaches (Blattodea), which are all within the superorder Dictyoptera. Mantises are sometimes confused with stick insects (Phasmatodea), other elongated insects such as grasshoppers (Orthoptera), or other unrelated insects with raptorial forelegs such as mantisflies (Mantispidae). Mantises are mostly ambush predators, but a few ground-dwelling species are found actively pursuing their prey. They normally live for about a year. In cooler climates, the adults lay eggs in autumn, then die. The eggs are protected by their hard capsules and hatch in the spring. Females sometimes practice sexual cannibalism, eating their mates after copulation.

Most mantises stalk tempting prey if it strays close enough, and will go further when they are especially hungry. Once within reach, mantises strike rapidly to grasp the prey with their spiked raptorial forelegs.[40] Some ground and bark species pursue their prey in a more active way. For example, members of a few genera such as the ground mantises, Entella, Ligaria, and Ligariella run over dry ground seeking prey, much as tiger beetles do.

Picture Credit : Google

A praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head and look over its shoulders. It has a triangular head with bulging eyes. It can turn its head 180 degrees to monitor its surroundings for prey. The praying mantis is so called because while at rest its prominent forelegs are folded and clasped suggesting a praying posture.

Typically green or brown and well camouflaged on the plants among which they live, mantis lie in ambush or patiently stalk their quarry. They use their front legs to snare their prey with reflexes so quick that they are difficult to see with the naked eye. Their legs are further equipped with spikes for snaring prey and pinning it in place.

Moths, crickets, grasshoppers, flies, and other insects are usually the unfortunate recipients of unwanted mantid attention. However, the insects will also eat others of their own kind. The most famous example of this is the notorious mating behavior of the adult female, who sometimes eats her mate just after—or even during—mating. Yet this behavior seems not to deter males from reproduction.

Females regularly lay hundreds of eggs in a small case, and nymphs hatch looking much like tiny versions of their parents.

Picture Credit : Google

There are many insects such as lady beetles, ground beetles and tiger beetles that can keep insect pests under control. Living on the surface of the soil and having voracious appetites, they catch and consume a wide range of insects such as caterpillars, wireworms and aphids. Some also help pollinate flowers and eat up weeds and dead plants.

A praying mantis will make short work of any grasshoppers that are troubling you; these fierce predators will also hunt many other insect pests that terrorize gardens, including moths, beetles, and flies. Note, however, that praying mantises are ruthless and will turn to eating other beneficials, such as butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds—and even each other!

Spiders—though technically arachnids rather than insects—are often overlooked as beneficial, but they are very effective pest controllers. Since they are attracted to their prey by movement, they eat many live insects. Jumping spiders and wolf spiders are especially good at keeping pests under control.

Assassin bugs look like a strange mix between a praying mantis and a squash bug. They use their sharp mouthparts to prey upon many different types of insect pests in the garden. In their adult form, they can be mistaken for squash bugs, so look carefully!

Remember that if you resort to using chemical pesticides to control insects, you will often kill good and bad bugs alike. Even the so-called “natural” pesticides like pyrethrum and rotenone will kill many beneficial insects.

Picture Credit : Google

Some insects engage in what is called mud puddling or puddling. This behaviour is most commonly witnessed among butterflies, and many species do this. So, what exactly is mud puddling, and why do butterflies do it?

Mud puddling is a phenomenon where butterflies across many species gather (sometimes together) on the wet soil and drink up the fluid. Since butterfly food is usually nectar, (and in a few cases, tree sap or some organic matter), it is deficient in nutrients. And that is what the fluid consumed through mud puddling gives them; the butterflies take in salts (including sodium) and minerals during this ritual. According to a study, many butterflies “eject surplus water, confirming that substances dissolved in water, rather than water itself, are the principal resource accumulated through paddling”. Puddling is found widely among many butterfly species in the tropical regions, and is said to happen after the monsoon. It’s been recorded that predominantly males are engaged in this ritual rather than females, linking the phenomenon to reproduction. It is believed that the male, stocked up on nutrients, passes on some of those to the female, helping with stronger eggs and healthier newborns.

Interestingly, mud is not the only source of nutrients during puddling. It could be obtained from decaying organic matter, animal and human urine, puddles, and even sweat.

Did you know?

It has been found that even tears are a source of nutrients for the butterflies. For instance, it has been recorded in the Amazon that butterflies drink the tears of turtles. Apparently, far as they are from the salt-laden Atlantic Ocean, waters in the western Amazon region are low in sodium. The tears are said to be an important source of salt, especially sodium, for the butterflies. Though this butterfly act does not seem to injure the turtles, too many of them around the reptile’s eyes could obstruct the latter’s vision a bit. Also, not just butterflies, even bees seem to be helping themselves to turtle tears.

 

Picture Credit : Google