The Orchid Mantis

Thought you might find this interesting, too!

The Malaysian Orchid Praying Mantis

Scientific Name: Hymenopus Coronatus Classification:  Insecta Habitat: Orchids, Papaya Trees and Frangipani Trees Location: Southeast Asia Diet: Jumping spiders, toads, birds, rodents, bats, butterflies, moths, bees (without stingers) and fruit flies

Its Amazing Adaptation: The Malaysian Orchid Praying Mantis are known for its brilliant and beautiful colouring.  It’s four walking legs camouflage as flower petals and the colour of its body, matches the environment.  As the mantis grows in its environment, it sheds skin.  After shedding its skin a few times, it looks like its habitat. It can be dangerous. When the mantis is threatened, it either tries to confuse the predator, or scare it. So it basically camouflages to kill!  If lifted in the air, they attempt to bite everything within its reach.  Their diet includes lizards, geckos, jumping spiders, toads, birds, rodents, bats, butterflies, moths, bees (without stingers), fruit flies and little bits of banana.  The Malaysian Orchid Praying Mantis does this adaptation to attract prey to kill.

Refrences:
Fast Facts from: http://animania-daily.livejournal.com/495.html 3\11\13
What It Looks Like: http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com Retrived 6\11\13
                             http://www.waza.org  Retrived 6\11\13

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