The Green Mantis.
Nature Notes
By
James Drummond,
F.L.S., F.Z.S. OBSERVED by a Picton resident, the green mantis, in catching its prey, is as methodical as it is sure. Almost the same hue as a green leaf on which it sits still, it hides its, identity from any other insect that comes along. It crawls slowly and silently, swaying its body from side to side like a snake, approaching its prey all the time. When near enough, it shoots out its forelegs like a flash, and the insect is caught. The mantis holds the insect’s body in one forefoot, takes a bite, and holds the body away until the mouthful is chewed and swallowed. The mantis always begins at the head. It eats so quickly that an observer may see the food disappearing and the mantis’s body expanding. The insect’s wings are discarded. The meal finished, the mantis suns itself and washes its face and its body, in the same way as a cat does.
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Bibliographic details
Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 456, 18 May 1932, Page 6
Word Count
165The Green Mantis. Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 456, 18 May 1932, Page 6
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