What does it mean when they are in this pose?

[young1]

I'm trying to learn the behaviors of my chinese mantids and they seem to get into this pose every once in a while and I can't figure out what the purpose of it is. At first I would guess they are getting ready to molt but this guy has molted recently. And I'm quite sure it isn't in attack mode because the arms are fully stretched out and I'm guessing it would be pretty hard to snatch something if their arms aren't cocked back....hmmmm unless he is praying



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[lancaster1313]

It is making like a stick. Sometimes they will drop and lay motionless like that. It is probably frightened. I have had mantids do the stick impression, no matter how careful I was not to startle them.

 

[angelofdeathzz]

I see this pose when my females are around a male, it means there submissive (as to say I wont attack and eat you) but at any rate it is a sign of feeling gentle or non-aggressive.

I've also seen it when they are sun bathing.

but on the other hand it might mean stick you hand in here so I can eat your pinky off at the knuckle. :lol:

 

[hibiscusmile]

I think they are just relaxing, but if it was one of the grass mantis, well thats another story, they seem to do that whenever they see something, so yea,,,, I am a stick!!! But the chinese is praying! :lol:

 

[Rick]

Relaxing. The stick like one is where the front legs are fully extended.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Posing for the camera?

 

[Ntsees]

Mantids have their own pose like that. I think what the pose means is that it noticed something big is near and so that's it's method of trying to immitate a branch and blend in with it's surroundings. The only thing is that its in a cage and so it's not blending with anything. Imagine trying to find a mantid in that pose with a bunch of other sticks in the wild. Maybe experts (I mean us) may still know that it's a mantid, but birds and other predators might just totally miss it as a food item.

 

[young1]

Thanks for the great responses everyone I've learned a great deal

watching them since they hatched has taught me a lot about nature vs nurture. I find it interesting to see what type of habits they develop in their man made habitat as they grow. Hope they keep growing