Praying mantis

A praying mantis, or praying mantid, is an insect of the family Mantidae (order Mantodea), named for their "prayer-like" stance. The word mantis derives from the Greek word for prophet; the plural is therefore mantes, with mantises also acceptable. There are approximately 2,000 species world-wide; most are tropical or subtropical. Some texts refer to the European mantis (Mantis religiosa) as the most common praying mantis in European countries.

Related Topics:
Mantidae - Mantodea - Greek - European mantis

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English and Chinese species were introduced to the United States around 1900 as garden predators in an effort to control pest populations. It is Connecticut's official state insect.

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For a more detailed treatment of this insect, see Mantodea.

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