Comments on: Praying For a Breeze: Windy Conditions Help Male Mantises Mate (and Survive)

By: Iain

Iain — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 18:10:40 +0000

http://www.keepinginsects.com/praying-mantis/distinguishing-males-and-females/
The basis principle is simple: female praying mantises have 6 abdominal segments while males have 8. The final segment of the female is much larger than the others while the male has several small segments towards the end of the abdomen.

If you have to count the segments, you should look at the underside of the mantis. You cannot count the segments from looking at its back side

By: Jenny Ryan

Jenny Ryan — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 11:05:52 +0000

I found this very interesting! I have a question – if one finds just one praying mantis in the garden how can one identify whether it is male or female?

By: hot dog

hot dog — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 22:06:29 +0000

i’d heard that the female is much more likely to eat the mating male in captivity which i anthromorpophisized to myself as nutso captive behavior, but now hearing that the whole thing starts with kind of a sucker punch mount by the male i don’t know where i come down on the head biting.