Not Your Average Pet

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Many species of flower mantis are popular as pets. These mantises actually attracted more insects than the real flowers. Flower mantises are a species of praying mantis that mimic flowers, in this case, a rainforest orchid of Southeast Asia, to lure pollinating insects. Their changing colours are an example of destructive mimicry, a form of camouflage in which a predator’s colours and patterns bait prey. Their behaviour varies, but typically involves climbing a plant, and then staying still until a prey insect comes within range. This tiny bug measures between 1 to 2 inches, when they’re first born, nymphs are mostly black and look almost like ants. When threatened, the insects raise their forewings, making themselves look larger; this is called a deimatic display. And finally, Flower Mantis is cannibalistic, as usual, the males is the one that loses its head, literally.

gogreenpestcontrol.ca tsawwassen Ladner Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/flower-mantis-your-average-pet-randy-bilesky/?published=t

http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-not-your-average-pet-the-flower-mantis-1.23282792