Pest Control

A welcome visitor to the vegetable garden today was one of numerous species of mantids found in Australia. As voracious predators of insects and their larvae mantids are a positive natural pest control agent (although non pest insects or even frogs are not excluded from their diet)

 

This visitor is one of the larger species, with the common name of Stick or Large Brown Mantis Archimantis latistyla  and is a female as can be seen by the short wings meaning she is flightless. This means that the males with full wings must fly in search of the females for mating and then be careful not to be eaten. The two spots on the fore wings are one of the distinguishing characteristics of this species.

 

As with all the mantis the adapted forelegs are the lethal weapons. capturing their prey as reach out and then snap shut impaling the prey on the spikes.