Thread by @Alex_Verbeek

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1/10. This is a Malaysian Dead Leaf Mantis.

One of the over 2,400 Mantis species.

This starts a thread with some great mantis videos.

Stay tuned.

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#insects #nature #wildlife #mantis #NaturePhotography #science #photography #videos

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2/10. Mantises, like many nature related subjects, is something you can read about in The Planet newsletter.

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3/10. If you see an insect with a triangular head, bulging eyes, sitting upright with arms folded like in prayer, it is likely a ‘praying’ mantis.

Here is an example. It is not praying, but eating a bumblebee.

#bees #mantises #insectphotography

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4/10. Before I continue, on the fascinating sex life of mantises, could you help me?

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5/10. Somehow I knew you wouldn’t leave now 😉.

Thanks for your support, writing is my job and I don’t add advertisements. So you make the newsletter possible.

This is an Ambivia undata, Asian Twig Mantis, another master of camouflage.

#naturelovers

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6/10 The photo in tweet 5 was posted by @scitechnature9, see under the videos for other sources.

Now about their sex life…

About 90 percent of the predatory species of mantises exhibit sexual cannibalism.

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7/10 There is a lot that scientists don’t understand about the mantises sexual cannibalism.
Females on a poor diet are known to more frequently eat their male lovers.

They start by biting off the male’s head… 😨

Which makes sense because…🧵

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8/10. Did you already subscribe to The Planet newsletter?

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Then back to the mantises 🧵
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9/10. Once the male’s head is bitten off, the duration of copulation increases significantly, and so does the chance of fertilization.

Clever men: studies show that hungry females attract fewer males.

Now you know why. 😉

#Nature #mantis #insects

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10/10. That’s the end of the thread 🧵

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