Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Mantidae), Woburn, Massachusetts

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Taumantis sp) instar, Woburn, Massachusetts

Michael D. Kern / Indian rose / Wandering violin mantis (Gongylus gongylodes) portrait, captive, from S Indian and Sri Lanka

Alex Hyde / Peacock Mantis (Pseudempusa pinnapavonis) against white background. Captive, endemic to Africa.

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.

Alex Hyde / Wide-armed mantis (Cilnia humeralis) reaching out, photographed on a white background, originating from Africa. Captive.

Alex Hyde / Bud wing mantis (Parasphendale affinis) juvenile, on a white background, originating from Africa. Captive.

Alex Hyde / Malaysian orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) photographed on a white background, originating from Malaysia. Captive.

Alex Hyde / Dead leaf mantis (Deroplatys dessicata) hanging upside down from twig, photographed against a white background, orginating from South East Asia. Captive.

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

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

Jouan & Rius / Praying mantis defensive display, Similajau NP, Borneo, Sarawak, Malaysia

Alex Hyde / Spiny flower mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii) in threat display with wings extended showing eye spots on wing cases. Captive, originating from Africa.

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

Rod Williams / Peacock praying mantis (Pseudempusa pinnapavonis) female with colourful wings open in defensive display. Captive, found in Thailand. May

Rod Williams / Peacock praying mantis (Pseudempusa pinnapavonis) female in defensive display with colourful wings. Captive, found in Thailand.

Michael D. Kern / Orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) camouflaged on orchid flower, captive, from SE Asia

Tim Laman / Praying mantis (Mantodea) green leaf mimic type walking along a mossy branch in lowland rainforest, Gunung Palung National Park, Borneo, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

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

Wild Wonders of Europe / Zankl / Mantis on vegetation near the sand dunes, Dalyan Delta, Turkey, August 2009

Stephen Dalton / Ethiopian praying mantis {Miomantis abyssinica} in flight

Stephen Dalton / Ethiopian mantis {Miomantis abyssinica} portrait, controlled conditions.

Stephen Dalton / Ethiopian praying mantis {Miomantis abyssinica} in flight

Thomas Marent / African Savannah Mantid (Polyspilota aeruginosa) in defensive posture, Mantadia National Park, Madagascar

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

Jose B. Ruiz / Praying mantis {Empusa pennata} Sauceda, Caminomorisco, Las Hurdes, Caceres, Extremadura, Spain

Piotr Naskrecki / African Savannah Mantid (Polyspilota aeruginosa) clinging to stick at sunset, Guinea, West Africa

Rod Williams / Giant asian praying mantis {Hierodula membranacea} male, captive from India

Kim Taylor / Japanese praying mantis {Paratenodera ardifolia} adult. Japan.

Kim Taylor / Japanese praying mantis {Paratenodera ardifolia} adult in flight

Kim Taylor / Japanese praying mantis {Paratenodera ardifolia} nymph shedding its skin. Japan.

Nick Garbutt / Praying mantis {Mantodea} Ranomafana NP, Madagascar.

Kim Taylor / Japanese Mantis flying (Paratenodera ardifolia) captive.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Praying mantis {Mantidea} cleaning antenna, Texas, USA.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Praying mantis {Mantidea} on Texas lantana flowers, Texas, USA.

Gerry Ellis / Praying Mantis (Mantis sp), Ndumo Game Reserve, South Africa

Michael & Patricia Fogden / Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) and orchid flower, Malaysia

Piotr Naskrecki / Praying Mantis (Tenodera sp), Woburn, Massachusetts

Piotr Naskrecki / Praying Mantis (Pseudomiopteryx sp) male, Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Praying Mantis (Oxyopsis sp), Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Praying Mantis (Acontista sp) nymph, Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Praying Mantis (Thespidae), Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Praying Mantis (Acontista sp) in defensive posture, Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Liturgusa sp) female with parasitic nematode that has just emerged from her body, killing her in the process, Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Praying Mantis (Thespidae), Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Liturgusa sp), Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Praying Mantis (Otomantis scutigera), Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantis (Phyllocrania sp), mimicking a leaf, Woburn, Massachusetts

Piotr Naskrecki / Ghost Mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa) mimics a leaf, Woburn, Massachusetts

Piotr Naskrecki / Praying Mantis (Otomantis scutigera), Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

Piotr Naskrecki / Praying Mantis (Otomantis scutigera), Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

Chris Mattison / Dead leaf mimic mantis (Deroplatys dessicata).

Chris Mattison / Spiny flower mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergi) camouflaged as a flower. Endemic to Africa.

Doug Wechsler / Chinese mantid (Tenodera aridifolia angustipennis) finishing egg laying on Goldenrod (Solidago), Pennsylvania, USA, September.

Alex Hyde / Malaysian Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) showing pink colouration camouflaged on an orchid, Captive

Alex Hyde / Dead Leaf Mantis nymphs (Deroplatys dessicata) hatching from ootheca (egg mass) originating from South East Asia, captive

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

ZSSD / Mantid (Mantidae) camouflaged in leaf litter, San Diego Zoo, California

Michael D. Kern / Spiny flower mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii) captive, from South and East Africa

Andy Rouse / Green or Garden praying mantis (Orthodera ministralis) Bamarru Plains, North West Territories, Australia

Pete Oxford / Mantid (Liturgusa sp) camouflaged on moss covered log, Yasuni National Park, Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador

Alex Hyde / Bud Wing Mantis (Parasphendale affinis) juvenile (left) next to recently shed skin (right), against a white background. Captive, originating from Africa.

MYN / Joao P. Burini / Praying mantis (Liturgusidae) tropical rainforest, Piedade, Sao Paulo, Brazil, May, meetyourneighboursproject.net

MYN / Joao P. Burini / Praying mantis (Liturgusidae) tropical rainforest, Piedade, Sao Paulo, Brazil, May, meetyourneighboursproject.net

Konrad Wothe / Praying mantis (Mantodea) Libya, Sahara, North Africa, December

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.

Nick Garbutt / Flower Mimic mantis (possibly Toxodera sp) from lowland dipterocarp forest, Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo

Shibai Xiao / Mantis (Theopompa sp) on leaf, Bawangling National Nature Reserve, Hainan Island, China.

Shibai Xiao / Chinese mantis (Tenodera aridlfolia Sinensls) close up feeding on a Grey chinese wall gecko (Gekko chinensis) Guangxi Province, China.

MYN / John Tiddy / Eight spotted mantis (Mantis octospilota) on eucalyptus flowers, Wimmera, Victoria, Australia, March. 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

Pete Oxford / Mantid (Angela sp), Yasuni National Park, Amazon, Ecuador

Sandesh Kadur / Praying mantis (Mantidae) Western Ghats, Southern India

Sandesh Kadur / Praying mantis (Mantidae) Western Ghats, Southern India

MYN / Paul Marcellini / Grizzled mantis (Gonatista grisea) Florida, USA. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Paul Marcellini / Grizzled mantis (Gonatista grisea) Florida, USA. meetyourneighbours.net project

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Taumantis sp) female, Zambia

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantid (Pyrgomantis sp) female guarding her eggs, Silaka Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa

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

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

ZSSD / Wandering Violin Mantid (Gongylus gongylodes), native worldwide

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

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

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