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Mantids
and Cockroaches
(superorder Dictyoptera, infraclass Neoptera, subclass
Pterygota, class Insecta, subphylum Hexapoda, phylum Arthropoda, kingdom
Animalia, domain Eukaryota)
Mantids have elaborate mouthparts. Their mouths are
aided by four long, skinny maxillary palps.
Coptopterygidae family (order Mantodea)
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Brunner's Mantis (Brunneria borealis), Ocracoke, Hyde County, NC, 9/9/21 |
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Mantidae family (order
Mantodea)
Carolina Mantis (Stagomantis
carolina)
The Carolina Mantis is very shy and wary, retreating when
humans come near.
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Carolina Mantis, Goose Creek State Park, Beaufort County, NC, 9/25/13 |
Female Carolina Mantis, lateral view, Riverbend Park, Catawba County,
NC, 9/24/09 |
Female Carolina Mantis, on boardwalk, Ft. Fisher Basin Trail, New
Hanover County, NC, 10/15/09 |
Another Carolina Mantis, with prey, Ft. Fisher Basin Trail, New Hanover
County, NC, 10/15/09 |
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, Sandy Creek Park,
Durham, NC, 10/7/10 |
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. |
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. |
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Dead Chinese mantis, an apparent male casualty of mating, Durham, NC,
9/20/09 |
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(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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Mating mantises, 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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Young mantid,
about 1 inch long, NC Botanical Garden, 5/9/10 |
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. |
Mantid nymph, Eno River SP, Old Cole
Mill Road access, Orange County, NC, 4/28/06. This may be a member of a
different species from the one on the left: it's smoother. |
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. |
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Baby praying
mantises, Durham, NC, 4/20/10 |
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Mantid Exuviae
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Mantis exuvia, Durham, NC, 7/6/20 |
Mantid exuvia where
it was found off the Third Fork Creek Trail, Durham, NC, 7/25/11 |
A better view of the mantid exuvia
on the left. |
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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, order Blattodea)
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American Cockroach
(Periplaneta americana),
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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Very young
cockroach, 3 mm long, Durham, NC, 11/3/09 |
Half-grown
cockroach, Durham, NC, 5/19/10 |
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© Copyright Dorothy E. Pugh 2006-2024. All rights reserved.