The Devil’s Flower
The scientific name for this mantis is Idolomantis diabolica – inspiring a sense of dread in those who hear the name. However, its colorful threat displays make this mantis stunning to look at, despite its wicked name.
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DownloadThe Devil’s Flower
The scientific name for this mantis is Idolomantis diabolica – inspiring a sense of dread in those who hear the name. However, its colorful threat displays make this mantis stunning to look at, despite its wicked name.
What am I looking at?
This is the head and underside of the front grasping forelegs of a mantis called Idolomantis diabolica. You can see its eyes (1); the colorful underside of its claws (2); and, spread out like a shield, the underside of the top of its pronotum (3) – the first segment of its thorax, which is usually elongated in mantises.
Click on the right arrow to see more views of this mantis.
Biology in the background
Mantises rely on their vision to stalk and target their prey. Their large, dome-shaped compound eyes are mounted on their highly mobile head; mantises can turn their head at least 180 degrees, and their vision covers 300 degrees. They are also capable of stereoscopic vision, allowing them to accurately gauge distances similar to way most mammalian predators do.
Mantises undergo incomplete metamorphosis; their growth occurs in several stages, known as instars. The juvenile insects (nymphs) transition to the next stage by shedding their exoskeleton. Then, before reaching the adult winged stage, they undergo nine molts (in the case of males) or 10 molts (in the case of females – with the result that as adults, females are bigger than males). In one instar, they are white with purple and green accents, resembling a blooming flower. In other instars, their coloration is very drab, enabling them to camouflage themselves as dry leaves. Their vibrant adult coloring finally appears about a week after their last molt.
Even the most convincing camouflage may fail if confronted with an acute sense of smell or sight in the birds, reptiles, small predatory mammals, or other mantises that prey on Idolomantis diabolica. So when threatened, this mantis will rear up, display the inside of its forelimbs and open its wings so it appears to almost double in size, and then rub its forewings together to produce a hissing sound. It may also jump or even attack its foe with its claws. Startling a potential oppressor for just a second with this outburst of activity may be all the mantis needs to allow it to dive into the undergrowth.
This is a very large mantis; an adult female can reach 13 centimeters in length, or a little larger than a human palm.
Technique
These images were created using macrophotography.
TagsIgor Siwanowicz, HHMI's Janelia Research Campus