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Mantids
and Cockroaches
(order Dictyoptera, infraclass Neoptera, subclass
Pterygota, class Insecta, subphylum Hexapoda, phylum Arthropoda, kingdom
Animalia, domain Eukaryota)
Mantids
(family Mantidae, suborder
Mantodea)
Mantids have elaborate mouthparts. Their mouths are
aided by four long, skinny maxillary palps that tear pieces off the prey which
the mantid holds in its forepaws.
Carolina Mantis (Stagomantis
carolina)
The Carolina Mantis is very shy and wary, retreating when
humans come near.
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| Female Carolina Mantis,
Carolina Beach State Park, New Hanover County, NC, 9/16/07. The
short wings and fat abdomen are characteristic of the female of this
species, whose flying is very limited. |
Carolina Mantis,
Johnston Mill Nature Preserve, Orange County, NC, 9/30/06 |
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Chinese Mantis
(Tenodera aridifolia)
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| Chinese Mantis,
Appalachian Trail, Botetourt
County, VA, 9/15/04. This was the biggest mantid I've ever seen. |
Chinese Mantis,
Penny's Bend, Durham County, NC, 8/24/05. |
Chinese Mantis,
the same mantis. |
Chinese Mantis,
Mason Farm
Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC, 9/21/06. A good view of the
mantid chewing parts surrounded by the four maxillary palps. |
(European)
Praying Mantis
(Mantis religiosa)
These insects are not afraid of humans.
Although apparently sometimes curious about us, they mostly ignore us and go about their
business.
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| Praying
Mantis. The two bottom upward-pointing
maxillary palps are clearly visible; one top palp points around the
side.
Durham, NC, 10/7/07 |
(European)
Praying Mantis, Durham, 8/26/04, eating a flower fly. |
Praying Mantis, Durham, 8/26/05.
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Eno River SP, Old Cole Mill Road access, 9/16/05. |
Praying Mantis, Boone, Watauga County, NC,
8/9/06, was eating a Silver-spotted Skipper. |
Mantid Nymphs
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| Mantid nymph, Eno River
SP, Old Cole Mill Road access, Durham County, NC, 5/29/05. This insect was about an
inch long, has no wings, and has been magnified. I can't tell whether this is a
Chinese Mantis or a Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) at this stage;
other possibilities are unlikely. |
Mantid nymph, Eno River SP, Old Cole Mill Road access, Orange
County, NC, 4/28/06. It's harder to see the detail of this smaller
nymph in this photo, but it appears to be the same species as the one on
the left. |
Praying Mantis
nymph, Eno River SP, Old Cole Mill Road
access, 8/17/05. This nymph has "wing pads," i.e., the beginnings of wings. |
The developing wings of this
Praying Mantis nymph show
more clearly. Boone, 8/29/05. |
Those growing wings show even better on this
Praying Mantis nymph. Also seen in Boone, 8/29/05. |
Mantid Eggcases
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| Mantid egg case, Penny's Bend Nature Reserve, Durham County, NC, 10/15/05 |
Mantid egg case, Duke Forest Gate 12, Durham, 1/19/06 |
Mantid egg case, apparently after mantids emerged, Duke
Forest Gate 12, Durham, 4/6/06 |
Cockroaches
(family Blattidae, superfamily
Blattoidea, suborder Blattaria)
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| Australian Cockroach
(Periplaneta australasiae),
Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, NC, 7/31/06 |
Male Oriental Cockroach (Blatta orientalis), Johnston Mill
Nature Preserve, Orange County, NC, 6/10/06, eating (very poisonous) Amanita
mushroom. |
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© Copyright Dorothy E. Pugh 2006-2007. All rights reserved.
