John Cancalosi / Hooded mantis (Choeradodis rhombifolia) climbing twig, Costa Rica, July

John Cancalosi / Hooded mantis (Choeradodis rhombifolia) grooming, Costa Rica, July

John Cancalosi / Hooded mantis (Choeradodis rhombifolia) portrait, Costa Rica, July

John Cancalosi / Hooded mantis (Choeradodis rhombifolia) on stem, Costa Rica, July

Robin Chittenden / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) and aestivating snails on vegetation, Dobrich, Bulgaria, September

Alex Hyde / Dead leaf mantis (Deroplatys dessicata) subadult in threat display, photographed against a white background, orginating from South East Asia. Captive.

MYN / Piotr Naskrecki / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) profile, St Michaels, Maryland, USA, June. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Piotr Naskrecki / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) feeding on fly, Woburn, Massachusetts, USA, June. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Piotr Naskrecki / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) portrait, St Michaels, Maryland, USA, June. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Clay Bolt / Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) portrait, October, South Carolina, USA, October, meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Clay Bolt / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) in amongst grass, South Carolina, USA, August. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Clay Bolt / Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) on lichen covered branch, October, South Carolina, USA, October, meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Clay Bolt / Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) camouflaged on lichen covered branch, October, South Carolina, USA, October, meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Clay Bolt / Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) grooming leg, Dacusville, North Carolina, USA, October, meetyourneighbours.net project

LYNN M. STONE / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) dew-soaked at dawn on Ironweed (Vernonia altissima) stem, North Guilford, Connecticut, USA, August

LYNN M. STONE / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) dew-soaked at dawn on Ironweed (Vernonia altissima) stem, North Guilford, Connecticut, USA, August

LYNN M. STONE / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) feeding on a Spicebush swallowtail butterfly (Papilio troilus) on a thistle, Durham, Connecticut, USA, August

Piotr Naskrecki / Devil's Praying Mantis (Idolomantis diabolica)

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Hemiempusa capensis), Western Cape, South Africa

Piotr Naskrecki / Devil's Praying Mantis (Idolomantis diabolica)

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Taumantis sp), Zambia

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Taumantis sp), Zambia

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Taumantis sp), Zambia

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Harpagomantis tricolor) feeding on prey, Silaka Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Hemiempusa capensis) feeding on prey, Silaka Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Harpagomantis tricolor), Silaka Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Hemiempusa capensis), Silaka Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Dan Burton / Child photographing a Praying Mantis (Mantodea) on hand. France, Europe, August. Model released.

Dan Burton / Child watching a Praying Mantis (Mantodea) on flowers. France, Europe, August. Model released.

Dan Burton / Child photographing Praying Mantis (Mantodea) on flowers. France, Europe, August. Model released.

Dan Burton / Child with a Praying Mantis (Mantodea) on hand. France, Europe, August. Model released.

Nick Garbutt / Giant Deaf-Leaf Mantis (Deroplatys desiccata) camouflaged against leaves. Maliau Basin, Sabah's 'Lost World', Borneo.

Nature Production / Chinese Mantid (Tenodera aridifolia) female

Nick Upton / European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) awaiting insect prey on Variegated Spurge (Euphorbia marginata) flowers. Lesbos / Lesvos, Greece, August.

Nick Upton / European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) hanging down from Variegated Spurge (Euphorbia marginata) flowers while hunting insect prey. Lesbos / Lesvos, Greece, August.

Nick Upton / European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) awaiting insect prey on Variegated Spurge (Euphorbia marginata) flowers. Lesbos / Lesvos, Greece, August.

Florian Möllers / Praying mantis (Mantidae) female producing ootheca (eggs) in high grass. Budongo Forest Reserve, Masindi, Uganda, Africa. December

Florian Möllers / Brown Mantis placing ootheca on grass. Budongo Forest Reserve, Masindi, Uganda, Africa. December

Jouan & Rius / Praying mantis on beach, Similajau NP, Borneo, Sarawak, Malaysia

Florian Möllers / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) on grass, Berlin, Germany.

Alex Hyde / Indian rose / Violin mantis (Gongylus gongylodes) hanging upside down from branch shedding skin. Captive, originating from Southern India and Sri Lanka.

Alex Hyde / Spiny flower mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii) showing eye spot on wing case. Captive, originating from Africa.

Alex Hyde / Spiny flower mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii). Captive, originating from Africa.

Thomas Marent / Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) camouflaged in flower, Borneo, Malaysia

Thomas Marent / Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) camouflaged in flower, Borneo, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Mantis (Hestiasula sp), Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Mantid (Mantidae), Lawas, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) juvenile mimicking flower, Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Praying Mantis (Metallyticus splendidus), Maliau Basin, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Praying Mantis (Metallyticus splendidus), Maliau Basin, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Praying Mantis (Metallyticus splendidus), Maliau Basin, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) juvenile mimics flower, Jakarta, Java, Indonesia

Chien Lee / Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) juvenile mimics flower, Jakarta, Java, Indonesia

Chien Lee / Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) juvenile mimics flower, Jakarta, Java, Indonesia

Chien Lee / Praying Mantis (Parymenopus davisoni) at edge of leaf, Lambir Hills National Park, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Mantid (Mantidae), Bukit Sarang Conservation Area, Bintulu, Borneo, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Mantis (Hestiasula sp) mimics a dry leaf, Bau, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Mantid (Humbertiella sp) camouflaged on branch, Danum Valley Conservation Area, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Mantis (Hierodula sp) feeding on grasshopper, Kuching, Borneo, Malaysia

LYNN M. STONE / European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) feeding on a Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio glaucus) in a cluster of Ironweed (Vernona altissima) flowers. Connecticut, USA

LYNN M. STONE / European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) feeding on a Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio glaucus) in a cluster of Ironweed (Vernona altissima) flowers. Connecticut, USA

Doug Wechsler / Exuvium (shed skin) of Chinese mantid (Tenodera aridifolia) on leaf. Philadelphia, PA

Laurent Geslin / Praying mantis (Mantodea) on plant, Chobe National Park, Botswana, August

Laurent Geslin / Praying mantis (Mantodea) on plant, Chobe National Park, Botswana, August

James Christensen / Praying Mantis (Choeradodis sp), Mindo, Ecuador

Alex Hyde / Panther Chameleon {Furcifer pardalis} eating Praying mantis {Mantodea}. Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Praying mantis {Mantodea} nymphs emerging from ootheca (egg case). Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Praying mantis {Mantodea}, close-up of head. Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Praying mantis {Mantodea} camouflaged on tree bark, tropical rainforest. Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Pete Oxford / Mantid (Liturgusa sp) camouflaged on trunk, Iwokrama Rainforest Reserve, Guyana

Luciano Candisani / Mantid (Cardioptera sp), Bahia, Brazil

Paul Harcourt Davies / European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) camouflaged within dried thistle stems. Italy, Europe.

Paul Harcourt Davies / European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) on leaf in garden at Podere Montecucco. Italy.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Crested / Conehead / Praying Mantis (Empusa pennata) portrait on wooddland vegetation, Orvieto, Tuscany, Italy, Europe.

Paul Harcourt Davies / European Praying Mantis adult (Mantis religiosa) head portrait, with legs held aloft, Orvieto, Italy, Europe.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) female producing an ootheca in autumn on an old door. Italy, Europe.

Paul Harcourt Davies / European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) camouflaged within dried thistle stems. Italy, Europe

Tim Laman / Praying mantis (Mantodea) green leaf mimicing type, camouflaged on leaf, Gunung Palung National Park, Borneo, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Tim Laman / Praying mantis (Mantodea) dead leaf mimic type, performing a threat display at the photographer by showing its boldly patterned underwing. Gunung Palung National Park, Borneo, West Kalimantan, Indones...

Tim Laman / Praying mantis (Mantodea) camouflaged as fallen dead leaf amongst leaf litter. Gunung Palung National Park, Borneo, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Tim Laman / Praying mantis (Mantodea) nymph of a green and white banded species, Gunung Palung National Park, Borneo, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Tim Laman / Praying mantis (Mantodea) resembling tree bark, resting on leaves, Gunung Palung National Park, Borneo, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Stephen Dalton / Praying mantid (Mantodea) feeding on bush cricket prey, Madagascar

Stephen Dalton / Praying mantid (Mantodea) feeding on bush cricket prey, Madagascar

Stephen Dalton / Praying mantids (Mantodea) pair, male on left, larger female on right, Madagascar

Murray Cooper / Praying Mantis (Parastagmatoptera sp), Amazon, Ecuador

Murray Cooper / Praying Mantis (Stenophylla sp), Amazon, Ecuador

Murray Cooper / Praying Mantis (Stenophylla sp), Amazon, Ecuador

Murray Cooper / Praying Mantis (Choeradodis sp) mimicking leaf, Ecuador

Murray Cooper / Praying Mantis (Choeradodis sp) camouflaged on leaf, Ecuador

Murray Cooper / Praying Mantis (Parastagmatoptera sp), Ecuador

Paul Harcourt Davies / European dwarf mantid (Ameles spallanziana) on sea spurge in sand dunes, Tuscany, Italy

Paul Harcourt Davies / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) on grass seed heads, Tuscany, Italy

Paul Harcourt Davies / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) camouflaged on plant, Tuscany, Italy

Paul Harcourt Davies / Close up of head of Eyed / Mediterranean mantis (Iris oratoria) Italy

John Cancalosi / European Praying Mantid (Mantis religiosa) feeding on bush cricket (Tettigoniidae) Oregon, USA