Praying Mantis, Mantis religiosa

 

Praying mantis mate in the autumn. The male of the species is much smaller than the female and sometimes end up as lunch.

The male perches atop the females back and touches his abdominal area to hers, passing his sperm to her body where she stores them in chambers designed especially for this purpose. Once the mating is over, females very often will consume the male, at times even before the mating ritual is over.

The male mantis do not attempt to prevent themselves from being eaten, but usually permit it.

The female carries her eggs with her for a time, depositing them finally in a walnut sized cluster.