How do mantids spread if females can’t fly?

[Bugmankeith]

I was always wondering this, if females can’t fly how do mantids spread in areas, like areas surrounded by roads?

 

[Synapze]

The females release pheromones to attract the males... all she has to do is wait. Males can detect the pheromones from surprisingly great distances. 

 

[Bugmankeith]

The females release pheromones to attract the males... all she has to do is wait. Males can detect the pheromones from surprisingly great distances. 

No that’s not what I meant. How do mantid populations spread in distance to new areas if the females can’t fly? 

 

[Synapze]

It's a slow progression which I imagine varies by species. After mating the female is going to search for a place to lay her ooth. She may lay in the same general area or she may walk to another location... her only 2 options. If it means crossing a road, she has to take her chances like every other creature. Her nymphs will repeat the process. The greater distance the female travels, the faster the spread. Does that make any sense?

Such an interesting question. I hope one of the entomologist members chime in on this one. 

 

[MantisGirl13]

I agree with @Synapze. Also, for example, a chinese mantis has hundreds of nymphs, which have to disperse quickly to keep from being cannibalized. As those nymphs grow, they wander to find food, and I imagine they could cross very long distances just wandering as they grow.

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantid-Tim]

It's a slow progression which I imagine varies by species. After mating the female is going to search for a place to lay her ooth. She may lay in the same general area or she may walk to another location... her only 2 options. If it means crossing a road, she has to take her chances like every other creature. Her nymphs will repeat the process. The greater distance the female travels, the faster the spread. Does that make any sense?

Such an interesting question. I hope one of the entomologist members chime in on this one. 

I agree with @Synapze. Also, for example, a chinese mantis has hundreds of nymphs, which have to disperse quickly to keep from being cannibalized. As those nymphs grow, they wander to find food, and I imagine they could cross very long distances just wandering as they grow.

- MantisGirl13

Yep. Slow and steady! Good topic though, I never really thought about it like that. If females could fly they'd spread around a lot more. Too bad, lol...

And I've seen S. lineola and T. sinensis females fly a good distance after laying an ooth and being pretty skinny, i.e. light.

 

[Bugmankeith]

Don’t hatchlings use silk to ‘balloon’ in the wind, similar to some spiders and caterpillars, that would allow them to spread quickly 

 

[MantisGirl13]

Don’t hatchlings use silk to ‘balloon’ in the wind, similar to some spiders and caterpillars, that would allow them to spread quickly 

No, they don't.

- MantisGirl13

 

[craigbaker]

They certainly can fly. I had one female orchid take off outside like a sparrow and up over tall oak trees. And gone!

 

[Mantis Lady]

Sheralynn ( dont remember here species) could fly before she got to heavy.

 

[MrGhostMantis]

They certainly can fly. I had one female orchid take off outside like a sparrow and up over tall oak trees. And gone!

Why would you have a female orchid outside???

 

[craigbaker]

Long story

 

[craigbaker]

Regardless, females can fly

 

[Synapze]

The ability of females to sustain flight is dependent on species. Most can, some cannot. I believe the original question was about population distribution of species in which the females are generally flightless. 

 

[Mantid-Tim]

The ability of females to sustain flight is dependent on species. Most can, some cannot. I believe the original question was about population distribution of species in which the females are generally flightless. 

I've read it's mainly up to the males flying abilities and longer antenna for finding and smelling the females. (The reason why males have both those abilities; to find females that is.) So at night the males go searching around for females led by their antennae smell. 

(Information read in Keeping the Praying Mantis by @Orin .)

 

[Orin]

If they can't fly they have to walk. Many native species in North America have flightless females.

 

[Bugmankeith]

If they can't fly they have to walk. Many native species in North America have flightless females.

But how does that allow them to spread state to state? Maybe from trees and plants that get cut?

 

[Orin]

But how does that allow them to spread state to state? Maybe from trees and plants that get cut?

There are many invertebrates that cannot fly and yet are found across North America and were here before humans migrated over on the land bridge. It does take longer to walk than fly but centipedes, millipedes, springtails, isopods and many others do not have wings.

 

[agent A]

There are many invertebrates that cannot fly and yet are found across North America and were here before humans migrated over on the land bridge. It does take longer to walk than fly but centipedes, millipedes, springtails, isopods and many others do not have wings.

they probably hitch rides on things too, especially man-made transportation devices...

don't forget that insects are millions of years old and there has been plenty of time for them to crawl everywhere