Why is praying mantis endangered

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There are no legal consequences for killing a mantis in the United States either. All the above rumors might have possibly originated from Ancient Egyptians and Africans or early civilizations because they consider mantises as a species possessing supernatural powers. Even so, people worship mantises in some parts of the world.

In fact they are considered as beneficial insects because they eat harmful bugs. Therefore, the conservation status of a praying mantis is currently out of the question. A myth circulated in urban areas since s claiming that praying mantises were endangered and that it was illegal to kill them here in the United States.

It would be a shame for such a harmless and useful creature to be killed. However, there is no reason to believe that they are protected or endangered.

North America contains more than 20 species. See All Wonders of the Week! Roeder, K. An experimental analysis of the sexual behavior of the praying mantis Mantis religiosa L. The Biological Bulletin , 69 2 , — Scudder, S. Mantis religiosa in America. Psyche , 9 , Lawrence, S.

Sexual cannibalism in the praying mantid, Mantis religiosa : A field study. Animal Behaviour , 43 4 , — No, praying mantis are not endangered. There are also no laws at the federal, state, or city level protecting mantises and imposing a fine on those that kill them. So, if praying mantis are not endangered, where did this myth come from? Why do so many people think that these insects are protected?

There seems to be two main driving forces behind this misconception, both of which will be explained below. First and foremost, it needs to be stated that praying mantes are excellent insects to have in nature, primarily because they eat a variety of bugs that are considered pests. Crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, and spiders all fall victim to praying mantes. Some of these are harmless, but others can cause a lot of damage to crops or simply cause annoying infestations.

Because of this, it would make sense that farmers and people in rural areas would do their best to preserve these great insects.