I've noticed that normally all my mantids abdomens pulse, but only when they are eating. As soon as they are done eating, they rythmic pulsing ceases, although I can still see them breathing. So I guess it has something to do with the eating. Does that pulsing somehow help pull their chunky food (since they eat so damn fast it cannot be properly chewed :wink: ) down to the stomach? Just curious.
Actually, the feeding behaviour of mantids is what I find most fascinating about them. Their jaws amaze me, so many moving parts in a complex chewing/cutting pattern. It's like one section cuts, the other pulls food into the mouth, the other grinds, all at the same time. And they eat so much so fast! And those jaws are so strong. They seem to chew through just about anything. Fascinating. But it's gotta suck to have those jaws be the last thing you see. Those big jaws just wrap themselves around a cricket or roach head, and *crunch* half the head is gone.
Actually, the feeding behaviour of mantids is what I find most fascinating about them. Their jaws amaze me, so many moving parts in a complex chewing/cutting pattern. It's like one section cuts, the other pulls food into the mouth, the other grinds, all at the same time. And they eat so much so fast! And those jaws are so strong. They seem to chew through just about anything. Fascinating. But it's gotta suck to have those jaws be the last thing you see. Those big jaws just wrap themselves around a cricket or roach head, and *crunch* half the head is gone.