SPECIES: common name: Mantis
This MANTIS is bright green with wings that cover the full abdomen. The eyes change colour - they are pink during the day:
but change colour to ruby red at night:
The front claws are orange. The abdomen has yellowish spots on the underside. The thorax is yellowish underneath and has a pinkish wash on the edges. It moves quite rapidly and appears to be active by night and day. It grows to 50mm in length and eats small insects.
We seldom see these in Perth these days. I think when they sprayed for Argentine ants back in the 1940s many of this type of creature disappeared. I can't remember the last time I saw a grasshopper and one would be fortunate to see perhaps one mantis a year.
I just realised I'm a few days early.....I should have saved this one for Monday. : )
Oh Mimsie if you were here on the farm you would see them everywhere it is very sad they are gone in Australia. Hug B
ReplyDeleteThey are not gone from all over Australia but just in the Perth metropolitan area where we live near the coast. I am sure there are thousands of them in other areas of Western Australia. x
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteUsed to see quite a few of these in NSW...I love them but do you know, all these years, I never figured out about the different eye colour - just thought they were different types!!! YAM xx
That was a new one on me too, the different eye colour. I did see a brown one here a year or so back so perhaps the green ones will come back one day as well. xx
DeleteHow sad not to see them. We do still get them, and I welcome them. And also didn't realise the eye colour changed with the time of the day - thank you.
ReplyDeleteGlad I could tell you something new. Strange about their eyes! I am sure you would see these in other parts of WA and even Perth, perhaps away from the coastal areas.
DeleteI didn't know about the eye colour either. Are there different types of mantis? Because I've seen many that are more than 50mm long. Just last year there was a mantis on my back screened porch gate, I rescued him and placed him in the ivy on the back fence. First we had quite the "conversation' with him tilting his head in different directions to copy me looking at him and then he climbed all over my shoulder and back before coming down my arm again. He was easily 10cm. I remember my previous home where there were many mantis in all sizes from baby to adult. Stick insects too.
ReplyDeleteI've not had much to do with many mantis varieties so don't have enough knowledge. I know we've had very long brownish ones. Perhaps they are called stick insects. Back in 1953 there was a very large one sitting on the phone at mum's place. I don't like things I don't know much about so was hesitant about getting too close. My future husband (no, not Phil) told me not to worry as 'they can't fly'. With that the 'thing' took off with this huge wingspan and I just about had hysterics. I've been more circumspect since then with anything of that nature.
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