Giant Praying Mantis- Appearance, Behavior, and Their Natural Habitat

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Giant Praying Mantis

Giant Praying Mantis- Appearance, Behavior, and Their Natural Habitat

Giant Praying Mantis is mostly found in sub-tropical regions of Asia. As the name suggest, they are quite larger than other mantis species and are ferocious hunters as well. These characteristics make them the best option for pest control as they eat up the bugs and insects causing harm to your crops and properties.

Nowadays, pest control services have been very popular because people are hiring them to combat different pest problems. The problem of pests is not negligible and needs to be dealt with immediate action. However, one interesting prospect that has come up in recent times is the techniques and methods which are used to deal with the problem of harmful pests biologically. Yes! With the advancement in science and different other fields, pest control companies now provide their customers with a much more Eco-friendly and environmentally safe way of dealing with the pests.

Modern techniques and proper knowledge about the various types of methods are very important for providing proper pest service treatment. The benefits of pest control can only be achieved when all the techniques have been used properly. So make sure that you hire a good pest control agency for getting the best results and eliminate any kind of threats to your property from the pests. Since you are investing a good amount of money into the agency you would want to get the best out of their services and work.

1. What is the biological way of treating pests?

Mantis Eat Pest

It is the method in which pests are kept under control or totally eliminated from a particular area using living organisms like insects, in the place of using toxins and chemicals. The method is completely natural and helps to reduce the damage done to the environment as slow as possible. They are mostly used to prevent the soil and plants to get affected with least or no chemicals at all. A beneficial insect is chosen most of the times in a biological method, which preys upon the pests present in the area. The three major types of biological control are- classical biological control, conservation, and augmentation. So this is the biological way of treating pests when they attack your property. In spite of being a really effective way to treat pests, sometimes biological processes take long to become successful and therefore people have to invest in chemical ways to make sure that the control is achieved quickly.

2. Why should people choose biological methods?

In the previous sections, we have discussed in details that about the biological methods and other important processes that are related to it. Even though both the pest control methods are effective in their own way, recently the biological trend is more likely to be popular. Once you are aware of the pest agencies, we will be discussing why you should hire a pest control agent to eliminate any kind of the harmful pests that attack different properties with the help of biological methods.

Mantis eat pest

  • Reduces the usage of chemical- one of the most important reason because of which people hire a pest control agency is because it is the only way to reduce the usage of chemicals. Due to the use of chemicals the soil and plants around the area will get heavily affected due to its toxins. Therefore to prevent such a negative impact on your business you must opt for biological treatment for pests.
  • Non-resistant- the use of pesticides for long period of time will help the insects to develop resistant traits over time. Therefore the usage of pesticides will become useless in such occasions. But biological treatment is non-resistant because there is nothing much that can be done by the pests from getting hunted by a predator which are the beneficial insects.
  • Much more selective- the biological treatment helps us to target specific organisms. Not all the organisms living in an area that is harmful and therefore with the help of biological control you can actually help the beneficial organisms to survive and live there, which is absolutely not possible with chemical treatment because it affects all organisms present there. In this way, the agricultural ecosystem is also preserved.

Here are some of the top benefits that are easily available with the use of biological control. With more advancement in technology and science, we will be able to bring more development and improvements to the method so that it can help us to control pests more efficiently. As we have mentioned that for influencing biological methods beneficial insects are used most of the time. One such effective insect which is used for this method is the Giant Praying Mantis. In the upcoming section, we will be talking about more about this insect and about their characteristics.

3. What is the giant praying mantis?

Giant Praying Mantis

In this world, there has been the discovery of almost 2300 species of mantises. Different regions of the world have particular species of mantises which have developed characteristics and traits depending upon the weather, climatic conditions and other physical conditions. One such significant and very popular species of mantis is the Giant Praying Mantis or also known as the Giant Asian Praying Mantis. As the name suggests that the mantis is particularly big in size, the mantises of this species are widely found in different parts of Asia and other parts of the continent. If you have read about sanitized before, you will be astonished to know that the mantises hole a special place in the history of the insect world. They have been related to supernatural powers and are considered as one of the most important insects that have ever been discovered by the humans. The Giant Praying Mantis has a lot of significant characteristics which helps to distinguish them from others. It has been given the scientific name Hierodula membranacea.

Appearance- the Giant Praying Mantis is usually green in color. Most of them are green but some are also yellow, beige and also different shades of brown colors. The individuals of certain mantis belonging to this species also have a pinkish highlight on their body. The major difference in their colors is due to the fact that they hail from different environments and habitats. The color pigments are developed within a matter of time when they are introduced to their habitat. But it has always been hard to say what are the colors and what are the exact conditions that will promote such a color combination when kept in a certain environment. By appearance, it is one of the largest mantes which is found on this planet and can be successfully kept under human influence. The adult female mantises are about 8-9 cm or 3.5 inches long whereas, the males are 3 inches long i.e. 7-8 cm. The male mantises are much more delicate and tender when compared to the females and they are also thinner. The adult females are much bulkier and they have wings which extend to the abdomen of the insect. It is very much common among mantises that the female adults are much bulkier and heavier when compared to the male counterparts. Similarly, it is the same for Giant Praying Mantises as well. The males have a much longer antenna which is attached to their head whereas the females have shorter. The front legs are prominently sturdy and used for hunting. They do not appear to be very aggressive but can pose potentials defensive stunts to protect itself.

Giant Mantis eat pest

Behavior- The giant praying mantis is one the most ferocious mantis species that is present in the world. They are very active and can get physically involved in hunting a prey once it has spotted it. Unlike many mantis species like the Chinese Mantis, this mantis is not docile or dormant. They love to hunt and kill their prey which is nearby. However, they can also stalk them for long distances as well since they have a good stamina level which makes them so much active. Their behavior is often characterized by aggression, brilliant reflexes etc. The Giant Mantis is one of the largest mantis species, is not easily afraid by other insects which can be potential threats. They can produce defensive stunts that will scare of the threat. One Giant Mantis can hunt down 200-250 aphids in a single day which is a great number. It will continue to hunt them down even if it is full and cannot eat anymore which makes them such vigorous eaters and suitable for pest control services. Even though they are such aggressive in nature, they are not harmful towards the humans and therefore, they can be captivated easily under suitable conditions which would help them grow.

Living conditions- proper environment and conditions are required for the full development of any kind of mantis. Similarly, you must regulate such conditions if you want to keep a Giant Praying Mantis under captivity. The ideal temperature under which the Hierodula membranacea can live is 24°C. However, during the night, the temperature must be regulated at 17°C. The Giant Mantis does not have a high necessity for humidity and can survive in very humid condition. But if you are really concerned about the humidity then the perfect levels are 40-65%. Keep in mind that too much humidity can cause severe health issues in mantis and therefore, you must keep the humid conditions under control. You must keep in mind that if you are trying to pet a mantis you will have to provide all the necessary amenities for it to develop. The cage or container in which you are planning to keep the mantis must be 3 times the length of the actual dimension of the mantis. A cage of 30 x 20 x 30 cm is considered a perfect fit for the Giant Mantis. You can also add small twigs and branches for it to hang and do other activities. Another important thing which should be kept in mind is that adult mantises are cannibalistic in nature. Therefore if you are planning to keep more than one mantis in the same container, it will be a bad idea. Especially the female mantis is very aggressive towards the male and will consume it due to lack of food. However, the nymphs are not cannibalistic and can be kept together but make sure there is ample amount of food available.

Breeding- the Giant Praying Mantis is particularly much easier to breed. You can successfully breed them under captivity if you follow the regulations in order. The first and most important step is by keeping a female adult and a male adult in the same cage so that they can mate. As we have mentioned before you will be easily able to distinguish between a male and female mantis because of their physical attributes. The females are much larger and wider than the males. Generally, it takes 2-4 weeks for both the sexes to reach their adulthood and only then a mating attempt could be made. Keep in mind that before the mating process can be started both the mantis, male and female, must eat really well. The female mantises can be really aggressive to the male and if their hunger is not satisfied, they might attack the male and consume it. So check whether the female is aggressive or not and only then you can release both of them in the same cage. Giant Praying Mantis is cannibalistic in nature. The mating process can take several hours to complete and once it ends to remove the male from the cage to prevent any physical damage to him because the female will become hungry by then and therefore might get attacked by the female for food.

Eggs and ootheca- once the mating process ends, the female mantis will produce around 5-8 ootheca in her lifetime. From each of the produced ootheca, around 200 nymphs can hatch out under suitable conditions. The nymphs are small and brown-greenish in color. After hatching they will eat fruit flies as food. You must take good care of the ootheca just like you would take care of the species. The temperature and humidity conditions are almost the same as the adults and they must not receive any physical disruption or must not be tampered with. If you want to read more about how to take care of the ootheca you can ask for recommendation and guidance from a professional insect provider or an agent. If you want to delay the hatching process, you can keep them under cold conditions which must be over 8°C because any temperature which is less than that can kill them.

So here are the important characteristics of the Giant Praying Mantis and the vital conditions in which they must be kept under so that they can develop in a healthy manner. Keeping a mantis under the captivity of this species is not a very difficult job to carry out because they do not require any specific or special treatment. But the temperature, humidity and other regulations that we have talked about must be kept in mind. Any kind of mistake or failure to maintain the conditions will prevent the eggs or the nymphs to develop into fully grown adult mantis. Read all the points carefully which we have mentioned making sure you have successfully produced a new generation of mantises on your own. Nowadays, both the eggs and fully grown mantises can be bought from potential sellers who deal with insects or from agencies who deal with biological insects for controlling pests.

4. Final verdict

Giant Praying Mantis

In this article, we have talked about the various benefits that you can acquire by adopting biological means of pest control services. With more advancement in technology and science, humans are developing more new methods and techniques with the help of which people will be able to conduct easy procedures for combating any kind of pest attacks. Pest control services have therefore become a very important field of study and research. The biological methods have their drawbacks as well but it must not neglect that only with the help of these methods, people can achieve a completely natural and healthy process of fighting the pests. The scientific development in the field of pest control services has made it possible to fight different kinds of harmful insects in various manners.

The beneficial insects will be able to fight the pests in a much better way if you plan their release according to the pests that have infested your property. The Giant Praying Mantis has been a very useful insect to combat pests. Their aggressive nature and vicious will to hunt down the pests have made them a perfect medium with the help of which harmful insects can be eliminated and keep your property safe. It is not a very difficult task to cultivate and keep these insects in captivity because they do not need any special requirements. The Giant Praying Mantis has a potential ability to track the insects and other pests which can cause extensive damage to your property and also bring harm to the people in the house. If you have read our article till this point, then you are now aware of the various conditions and other important details which should be kept in mind when you are trying to pet a Giant Praying Mantis under your captivity.

 

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