Michel Poinsignon / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) female, clinging between two twigs, Lorraine, France, October.

Michel Poinsignon / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) pair on plant facing each other, Lorraine, France, September.

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

Philip Dalton / Eruopean praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) and brown cricket on flowers, Europe

Wild Wonders of Europe / Möllers / Female European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) portrait, Sardinia, Italy, September 2008. WWE INDOOR EXHIBITION

Michel Poinsignon / European praying mantis {Mantis religiosa} on hawthorn berries, Lorraine, France

Loic Poidevin / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) in fig tree, West France

Michel Poinsignon / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) up side down on flower, Lorraine, France, September.

Michel Poinsignon / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) female, on branch, Lorraine, France, October.

Michel Poinsignon / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) female, clinging up side down to flower head, Lorraine, France, October.

Michel Poinsignon / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) female, back lit on plant, Lorraine, France, September.

Michel Poinsignon / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) pair on plant eating prey, Lorraine, France, September.

Michel Poinsignon / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) pair on plant, Lorraine, France, September.

Michel Poinsignon / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) pair on plant, Lorraine, France, September.

MYN / Denis Palanque / Bruennichi's orb web spider (Argiope bruennichi) with European praying mantis prey (Mantis religiosa) garden, Montcarra, France, September. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Denis Palanque / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) garden, Montcarra, Rhones-Alpes, France, September. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Denis Palanque / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) garden, Montcarra, Rhones-Alpes, France, September. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Denis Palanque / Close up of European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) garden, Montcarra, Rhones-Alpes, France, September. meetyourneighbours.net project

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

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 / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) in amongst grass, South Carolina, USA, August. 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 / European Mantid (Mantis religiosa), Estabrook Woods, Concord, Massachusetts

Piotr Naskrecki / European Mantid (Mantis religiosa), Estabrook Woods, Concord, Massachusetts

Piotr Naskrecki / European Mantid (Mantis religiosa), Estabrook Woods, Concord, Massachusetts

Piotr Naskrecki / European Mantid (Mantis religiosa), Estabrook Woods, Concord, Massachusetts

Piotr Naskrecki / European Mantid (Mantis religiosa), Estabrook Woods, Concord, Massachusetts

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

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

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 / 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

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

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

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

John Cancalosi / European Praying Mantid (Mantis religiosa) feeding on Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) New York, USA

John Cancalosi / European Praying Mantid (Mantis religiosa) feeding on Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) New York, USA

Wild Wonders of Europe / Geslin / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) on flower, Thousand Hills region, North West Moldova, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Geslin / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) on leaf, Thousand Hills region, North West Moldova, June 2009

Jean E. Roche / European praying mantis {Mantis religiosa} brown form, Languedoc, France

Wild Wonders of Europe / Quinta / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) grooming, Alentejo, Natural Park of South West Alentejano and Costa Vicentina, Portugal, June 2009

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) on finger. Liwa, United Arab Emirates.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) on lily flower in garden, Tennessee, USA.

Martin Gabriel / European praying manthis (Mantis religiosa), Bozen, Northern Italy.

Martin Gabriel / European praying manthis (Mantis religiosa), Bozen, Northern Italy.

Bruno D'Amicis / European praying manthis (Mantis religiosa) Abruzzo, Italy

Albert Lleal / European Mantid (Mantis religiosa) pair mating, Europe

Thomas Marent / European Mantid (Mantis religiosa) in defensive posture on thistle, Switzerland

Thomas Marent / European Mantid (Mantis religiosa), Switzerland

Michel Poinsignon / Female European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) on branch in autumn, Lorraine, France

Albert Lleal / European Mantid (Mantis religiosa) eating grasshopper, Serra del Montsant Natural Park, Tarragona, Spain

Larry Michael / European praying mantids hatching {Mantis religiosa} Wisconsin, USA

Steven David Miller / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa), introduced species, Florida, USA

Jose B. Ruiz / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) female, Alicante, Spain

Steven David Miller / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa), introduced species, Florida, USA

Nick Upton / European praying mantis {Mantis religiosa} catching Cicada {Cicada sp} Greece

Dan Burton / Head of European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) France

Fabio Liverani / Portrait of European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa), Casentinesi Forest NP, Tuscany, Italy

Fabio Liverani / European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) with grasshopper, Casentinesi Forest NP, Tuscany, Italy

Fabio Liverani / European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) with grasshopper prey, Casentinesi Forest NP, Tuscany, Italy

Fabio Liverani / High angle shot of European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) with grasshopper prey in grasping front legs, Casentinesi Forest NP, Tuscany, Italy

Fabio Liverani / European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa), Casentinesi Forest NP, Tuscany, Italy

Konstantin Mikhailov / European praying mantis {Mantis religiosa} crimean peninsula, Russia

Philippe Clement / European praying mantis {Mantis religiosa} France

Jose B. Ruiz / European praying mantis pair mating {Mantis religiosa} Spain. Sequence 1 of 3

Jose B. Ruiz / European praying mantis female eats male after mating. Spain {Mantis religiosa} Sequence 2 of 3

Jose B. Ruiz / European praying mantis female eats male after mating. Spain {Mantis religiosa} Sequence 3 of 3. In some cases, the female will caniibalise before mating is finished! However, even a decapitated male...

Fabio Liverani / European praying mantis with egg mass, Italy

Fabio Liverani / European praying mantis with grasshopper prey {Mantis religiosa} Italy

Jose B. Ruiz / European praying mantis female (Mantis religiosa) cleaning leg. Spain, Europe

Juergen Freund / European praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) on petal. Germany, Europe

Steven David Miller / European praying mantis, Florida (Mantis religiosa). Introduced species to Florida

Steven David Miller / European praying mantis, Florida (Mantis religiosa). Introduced species to Florida

Steven David Miller / European praying mantis, Florida (Mantis religiosa). Introduced species to Florida

Konrad Wothe / European Mantid (Mantis religiosa) female, Italy

Piotr Naskrecki / European Mantid (Mantis religiosa) cleaning foot, Estabrook Woods, Concord, Massachusetts

Albert Lleal / European Mantid (Mantis religiosa) pair mating, Europe

Jose B. Ruiz / European praying mantis female eats male after mating. Spain {Mantis religiosa} Sequence 5/6

Jose B. Ruiz / European praying mantis pair mating. {Mantis religiosa} Spain. Sequence 3/6

Jose B. Ruiz / European praying mantis pair before mating. Spain. {Mantis religiosa} Sequence 1/6