Praying Mantis

My Home: I am found in warm climates on
bushes, trees, houses or any structure
where I can find another insect for a
meal.

What I eat: I eat other insects.

What I look like: I can be green or brown, and
range 2 to 3 inches in length. I have a triangular
shaped head with a long torso and grasshopper type
back legs. My front legs have spines and are held
upright when I am still, which makes it look
like I am praying.

How I am born: I go through three
stages of development: egg, nymph and
adult. The female lays an egg case in the
fall that contains up to 300 eggs. I hatch in the
spring and emerge as a nymph, resembling a miniature
adult, except without wings. I will develop into an adult by
molting, shedding my skin. As an adult, my lifespan is
less than a year.