262 



AN INTRODUCTION TO ENTOMOLOGY 



Among the more striking in ap- 

 pearance of the walking-sticks found 

 in the South are Me gaphdsma de^itricus , 

 our largest species, measuring from 125 

 to 150 mm. in length, and Anisomorpha 

 buprestoides, a yellowish brown species, 

 about half as long as the preceding, 

 with conspicuous, broad, black stripes 

 extending from the front of the head 

 to the tip of the abdomen. 



The reproduction of lost legs occurs 

 frequently in this family. 



Family MANTID^^ 



The Praying Mantes or Soothsayers 



The praying mantes are easily rec- 

 Fig. 296.— Phyllium scythe. (From ognized by the imusual forrn of the 

 Sharp, after Westwood.) prothoraxand of the first pair of legs 



(Fig. 297). The prothorax is elongate, sometimes nearly as long as 

 the remainder of the body; and the front legs are large and fitted 

 for seizing prey. The coxee of the front legs are very long, pre- 

 senting the appearance of femora; and the femora and tibi« of 

 these legs are armed with spines; the tibia of each leg can be 

 folded back against the femur so that the spines of the two will 

 securely hold any insect seized by the praying mantis. 



The second and third pairs of legs are simple and similar; the 

 tarsi are five-jointed; and the cerci are jointed. 



With some species the wings resemble leaves of plants in form 

 and coloring. This resemblance is protective, causing the insects 

 to resemble twigs of the plants upon which they are. 



All of the species are carnivorous, feeding on other insects. 

 They do not pursue their prey but wait patiently with the front 

 legs raised like uplifted hands in prayer, until it comes within reach, 

 when they seize it. This position, which they assume while waiting, 

 gives them most of their popular names, of which there are many. 



The eggs of the Mantidae are encased in chambered oothecas, 

 which are usually fastened to the stems or twigs of plants (Fig. 298). 

 In the case of the species that occur in the North, there is only 

 one generation in a year and the winter is passed in the egg-state. 



Most of the members of this family are tropical insects ; a few 

 species, probably less than twenty, live in the southern half of 



*This family is separated from the Orthoptera by Handlirsch ('o6-'o8) and 

 made to constitute a distinct order, the Mantoidea. 



