MANTIS, an insect belonging to the family Mantidae of the order Orthoptera (q.v.). Probably no other insect has been the subject of so many and widespread legends and superstitions as the common praying mantis, Mantis religiose, L. of Southern Europe. The ancient Greeks endowed it with supernatural powers (Aciiircs, a diviner) ; the Turks and Arabs hold that it prays con stantly with its face turned towards Mecca, and the Provencals call it Prega-Diou (Prie-Dieu). Notwithstanding these attributes, mantids are creatures of voracious habits. The front pair of limbs are very peculiarly modified—the coxae being greatly elongated, while the strong third joint or femur bears on its curved underside a channel armed on each edge by strong movable spines. Into this groove the stout tibia is capable of closing like the blade of a pen knife, its sharp, serrated edge being adapted to cut and hold. Thus armed, with head raised upon the much-elongated and semi-erect prothorax, and with the half-opened fore-limbs held outwards in the characteristic devotional attitude, it rests motionless upon the four posterior limbs waiting for prey, or occasionally stalks it with slow and silent movements, finally seizing it with its knife-blades and devouring it. These insects destroy great numbers of flies, grasshoppers and caterpillars, and the larger South-American spe cies even attack small frogs, lizards and birds. They are very pug nacious, fencing with their sword-like limbs, the larger frequently devouring the smaller, and the females the males.
The common species fixes its somewhat nut-like egg capsules on the stems of plants in September. The young are hatched in early summer, and resemble the adults, but are without wings. The green coloration and shape of the typical mantis are procryptic, serving to conceal the insect alike from its enemies and prey. The passage from leaf to flower simulation has been perfected in cer tain tropical species of Mantidae by the development of the pro thorax and raptorial limbs of laminate expansions so coloured on the under side as to resemble papillionaceous or other blos soms, to which the likeness is enhanced by a gentle swaying kept up by the insect in imita tion of the effect of a lightly blowing breeze. As instances of this may be cited Idolum diabolicum, an African insect, and Gongylus gongyloides, which comes from India. Examples of another spe cies (Empusa eugena) when standing upon the ground deceptively imitate in shape and hue a greenish white anemone tinted at the edges with rose ; and Bates records what appears to be a true case of aggressive mimicry practised by a Brazilian species which exactly resembles the white ants it preys upon. More than Boo species of mantids are known and about twenty of these occur in Europe, and a similar number in the United States, but none are found in the British Isles.