what do praying mantis eat?

Answer 1

Praying mantises eat insects and other invertebrates such as other mantises, beetles, butterflies, spiders, crickets, grasshoppers, and even spiders. The praying mantises also eat vertebrates such as small tree frogs, lizards, mice and hummingbirds. Praying mantids can resemble flowers and can catch small, unknowing hummingbirds. Praying mantids also eat other nesting birds.

Answer 2

Basically, they'll eat anything that moves - unless they think it's bigger than they are!

They're not fooled by a butterflies wings though, somehow they can tell what size the body is..!

They DO eat each other, if there's nothing more tasty and juicy around...!!

The females do NOT normally eat the males after mating. In captivity that happens frequently, because a lot of people don't give the male anywhere to hide after they've finished mating! But in the wild it only happens 'sometimes'!! Still too often, I know! But he can still finish the 'job', even if she's already eaten his head... All insects are like that, I've seen butterflies fly without their heads! But they don't normally go far, because they can't see - they land somewhere close by..! Strange...!

Male mantids can actually mate with more than one female - given half a chance...!
; )

I must point out though, that although they like eating crickets, some crickets are capable of doing a lot of damage to the mantis - especially when the mantis has just moulted! Crickets are able to eat the mantid's wings and legs - they HAVE been known to eat the body of a sickly mantis too...! They're supposed to be vegetarians, but they don't mind a bit of juicy mantis as a supplement...!

A Mantis can also be seriously injured in a battle with a cricket that's about the same size as the mantis. Those things have got a VERY strong kick...

Answer 3

The poor things have to change colors so they themselves will not be eaten by the many birds, etc that want to eat THEM..

The praying mantis is a carnivorous insect that takes up a deceptively humble posture when it is searching for food. When at rest, the mantis' front forelegs are held up together in a posture that looks like its praying. These front legs are equipped with rows of sharp spines used to grasp its prey. They wait unmoving and are almost invisible on a leaf or a stem, ready to catch any insect that passes. When potential prey comes close enough, the mantis thrusts its pincher-like forelegs forward to catch it. The prey probably won't escape because the forelegs are so strong and armed with overlapping spines. The mantid bites the neck of its prey to paralyze it and begins to devour it. The mantis almost always starts eating the insect while it's still alive, and almost always starts eating from the insect's neck. This way, the mantis makes sure that the insect's struggle stops quickly. Praying mantises eat insects and other invertebrates such as other mantises, beetles, butterflies, spiders, crickets, grasshoppers, and even spiders. The praying mantises also eat vertebrates such as small tree frogs, lizards, mice and hummingbirds. Praying mantids can resemble flowers and can catch small, unknowing hummingbirds. Praying mantids also eat other nesting birds.

Answer 4

The praying mantis is a carnivorous insect that takes up a deceptively humble posture when it is searching for food. When at rest, the mantis' front forelegs are held up together in a posture that looks like its praying. These front legs are equipped with rows of sharp spines used to grasp its prey. They wait unmoving and are almost invisible on a leaf or a stem, ready to catch any insect that passes. When potential prey comes close enough, the mantis thrusts its pincher-like forelegs forward to catch it. The prey probably won't escape because the forelegs are so strong and armed with overlapping spines. The mantid bites the neck of its prey to paralyze it and begins to devour it. The mantis almost always starts eating the insect while it's still alive, and almost always starts eating from the insect's neck. This way, the mantis makes sure that the insect's struggle stops quickly. Praying mantises eat insects and other invertebrates such as other mantises, beetles, butterflies, spiders, crickets, grasshoppers, and even spiders. The praying mantises also eat vertebrates such as small tree frogs, lizards, mice and hummingbirds. Praying mantids can resemble flowers and can catch small, unknowing hummingbirds. Praying mantids also eat other nesting birds.

Answer 5

What Do Praying Mantis Eat

Answer 6

Well, the female praying mantis eat the males after mating. Sucks to be a man at that point.

Answer 7

My praying mantis used to love to eat feeder fish and crickets

Answer 8

Worse than just insects. The female eats the male after mating.

Answer 9

Whatever meat they can catch and eat. I seem to remember them being pretty good at aphid control, as well as other overpopulated nuisance insects. Good question, what do people who know what they're talking about have to say about it?
BTW, I noticed just now you have two identical answers which must've been cut and pasted into the answer box. One answerer gave the source, the level six (shame, shame) didn't.

Answer 10

Insects.