Photo and text used courtesy Clemson University
Cooperative Extension Service.

The mantid pictured is one of several species found in the southern U.S. Mantids are well known for their predaceous habits and are often called "praying mantids" because of the upraised position of their front ligs when awaiting prey.

The mantid overwinters in the egg stage. The eggs are fastened to twigs or grass stems in a large egg case (oötheca), which may contain over 200 eggs.