Preying mantis and mantis fly

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MarkSturtevant
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Preying mantis and mantis fly

Post by MarkSturtevant »

Convergent evolution is where different species converge upon a similar morphology due to similar natural selection pressures. Here we see this demonstrated in the preying mantis, and in the completely unrelated mantis fly. Both are predators that rely on keen vision and the use of raptorial fore-limbs.

The mantis shown here is the European preying mantis (Mantis religiosa), which was introduced into the U.S a long time ago. They can be green or brown, and have some resemblance to the generally larger Chinese mantis which is also an introduced species. One way to identify the European mantis is its having a black ring at the base of its fore-limbs, on the medial side. That is not visible here, however. Image

The biology of the preying mantis should be familiar to everyone, but perhaps not all are acquainted with mantis flies. These insects are in the order Neuroptera, and so are cousins to lacewings and antlions and their life cycle includes a larval and pupal stage. The larvae of mantisflies are also predators, with some species preying on small arthropods, much like lacewing larvae, while others parasitise scarabeid larvae and yet others parasitise spider egg sacs. This largeish species, Climaciella brunnea, does the latter. This one is a female (males live only in early summer), and she is clearly a mimic of a Polistes wasp.
If you ever see a wandering female spider like a wolf spider or nursery spider with a little silverfish looking insect clinging to its abdomen-- that is a mantisfly larva waiting for the spider to make an egg sac. I would keep that spider!
Image
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters

Lou Jost
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Post by Lou Jost »

Beautiful mantisfly. I did not know they were Neuropterans. I will be watching the backs of wolf spiders from now on!

Picaflor
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Post by Picaflor »

Thanks for your article. I understand correct, the mantisfly is a wasp?

dack9
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Post by dack9 »

I like the second photo.

MarkSturtevant
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Post by MarkSturtevant »

Picaflor wrote:Thanks for your article. I understand correct, the mantisfly is a wasp?
No. Mantisflies belong to a completely different insect order from wasps and bees. Their order is the Neuroptera, and more familiar species in that order are the lacewings: http://bugguide.net/node/view/1142089/bgimage

This particular species of mantisfly mimics wasps. Its superficial resemblance to wasps helps it to avoid being eaten by birds even though it has no stinger.
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters

Picaflor
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Post by Picaflor »

Thanks Mark and thanks for the link. Roger

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