Hey 
Wild Fact Fans, Seth here with the new Friday Feature creature. Don’t forget to please like 
, share and comment 
questions 
down below 
If you have any on this weeks animal ^^
This weeks feature creature is a small but powerful predator that silently stalks the micro-world and strikes with lightnin speed with sharp hooks for arms; watching camouflaged in the shadows; with incredible vision and deadly mandibles; ready to tear its prey apart. A symbol within the world of kung fu 
for patience and speed; its also a symbol of luck 
and good fortune 
in others; as its lucky to even spot one (which is the case since i found one last week That inspired me to do a post on this creature). While its a truly powerful predator; its one of the easiest insects 
to handle ; Making it easy to respect and admire with awe up close.
This weeks feature creature is The Praying 
Mantis
1. measuring in at 3 inches long; this species is the most well known of the many varieties of green mantids there are, as being the most widespread. It mainly lives in Central & Southern Europe; but soon spread to North America and Africa (though not an invasive species) back in plant 
shipments back in 1899 and have become a helpful pest control species
2. They can live to be a year old!
3. With its front arms folded like its in prayer; is precisely where it got its name . They often groom these arms after hunting to keep them clean 
like a cat 
4. Females are larger than males, and while both have wings 
males being smaller and lighter ; allows them to fly short distances . Females use theirs for display
5. along with mainly be solid green ; They can also be yellow, brown, or sometimes black; which can be useful as camouflage . Scientists aren’t sure why they have such a color variety ; with some believe they can change color due to the temperature 
.
6. Using its strong spiky raptorial forelimbs combined with split second speed; they can grab prey twice as fast than a human can blink 
! Its arms act like a cage to hold its prey in place as it uses its powerful mandibles to eat. and most times going straight for the head !
7. These insects are very opportunistic predators; eating not just invertebrates like flies, grasshoppers, crickets 
, beetles 
, spiders 
,moths , & butterflies 
(including toxic 
Monarchs); but also prey 3 times bigger than themselves like lizards 
, small birds 
like hummingbirds , frogs 
, small rodents 
, bats 
, snakes 
and even softshell turtle 
hatchlings !
8. Among their wide variety in diet; Theyre also well known for being cannibals; especially females when mating; mostly to get extra energy to lay an egg 
case with up to 300 eggs inside!
9. While being top predators; theyre also top prey for lots of animals like lizards , snakes , frogs Bats , birds , frogs , spiders , hornets 
, fish 
, large mammals and many others
10. Along with camo ; if a predator catches a mantis by its leg, it can break it off and can escape. Unless its a young nymph, the leg 
will not grow back.
11. Females lay their egg cases in the fall 
on branches with special foamy material to keep them safe furing the winter 
; and the nymphs (baby mantis’s) hatch in the coming summer like mini adults
12. Thanks to its 2 widely spaced compound eyes; they have excellent vision with pinpoint accuracy , spot movement from 60ft away & among the only insects that can see in 3D! And if that wasnt enough; they can turn their head 180 degrees ; just like an owl 
! So you cant sneak up on one from behind. They also have 3 small eyes in a triangle pattern on their head to sense light 
changes
13. They also have good senses thru their antenna and some species of mantis can hear Bat Echolocation!
Next weeks feature creature hint 
: this predator of the mountainous plateaus of Tibet is the wild original version of Grumpy Cat 
