Oligonicella scudderi

[yen_saw]

A native species in Texas that can be mistaken as ground mantis or grass mantis. This is adult female.

 

[Sublime64tothe42]

I wonder why some adult mantis don't have wings??? Is this just for females in this sp. Yen?

 

[lancaster1313]

She is cool.

Reminds me of a thick Thesprotia graminis with those little antennae and head shape.

 

[Crazy4mantis]

Cool!

looks like a sub with those tiny wings!

 

[Rick]

Very cool Yen. Did you find enough to breed them?

 

[aNisip]

Yeah, like Rick asked, did u find a breeding pair?

 

[yen_saw]

I wonder why some adult mantis don't have wings??? Is this just for females in this sp. Yen?

Yes only female is wingless, male has wings.

As for why.... my guess is evolution. The lack of use for wings (don't need to move a lot for food, constantly residing on ground, no use of camouflage for wings, etc) lead to wingless female mantis after many generations. Male still need wings for mobility purpose and so the wings stay.

She is cool.

Reminds me of a thick Thesprotia graminis with those little antennae and head shape.

It does look like a cross-breed between T. graminis and L. minor haha.....

Very cool Yen. Did you find enough to breed them?

Yeah, like Rick asked, did u find a breeding pair?

Yeah found two adult females. At this late in the season both females should be fertile. Wish I could find these earlier for your show Rick.

 

[Mime454]

As for why.... my guess is evolution. The lack of use for wings (don't need to move a lot for food, constantly residing on ground, no use of camouflage for wings, etc) lead to wingless female mantis after many generations. Male still need wings for mobility purpose and so the wings stay.

I read in "The Praying Mantids" that wingless mantids don't hear and that hearing in mantids is correlated with wing size. So this female probably can't hear!

 

[yen_saw]

I read in "The Praying Mantids" that wingless mantids don't hear and that hearing in mantids is correlated with wing size. So this female probably can't hear!

Not sure about that... a good question for Dr. Yager.

 

[gripen]

How large are the adults? Very cool species.

 

[Rick]

Yes only female is wingless, male has wings.

As for why.... my guess is evolution. The lack of use for wings (don't need to move a lot for food, constantly residing on ground, no use of camouflage for wings, etc) lead to wingless female mantis after many generations. Male still need wings for mobility purpose and so the wings stay.

It does look like a cross-breed between T. graminis and L. minor haha.....

Yeah found two adult females. At this late in the season both females should be fertile. Wish I could find these earlier for your show Rick.

That would have been great. Maybe next year!

 

[blackmerlin]

Cool!

 

[MandellaMandy123]

Very interesting mantid!