The Chinese mantis (''Tenodera sinensis'') is a species of mantis native to Asia and the nearby islands. In 1896, this species was accidentally introduced by a nursery tender at Mt. Airy near

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, United States. ''Tenodera sinensis'' often is erroneously referred to as ''Tenodera aridifolia sinensis'' because it was at first described as a subspecies of '' Tenodera aridifolia'', but ''Tenodera sinensis'' is now established as a full species. ''Tenodera sinensis'' feeds primarily on other insects, though adult females sometimes catch small

vertebrate Vertebrates () are animals with a vertebral column (backbone or spine), and a cranium, or skull. The vertebral column surrounds and protects the spinal cord, while the cranium protects the brain. The vertebrates make up the subphylum Vertebra ...

s. For example, they have been observed feeding on hornets, spiders, grasshoppers, katydids, small reptiles, amphibians, and even

hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the Family (biology), biological family Trochilidae. With approximately 366 species and 113 genus, genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but most species are found in Cen ...

s. Like most mantids, they are known to be cannibalistic. One study found that cannibalism occurs in up to 50% of matings. These mantids have been observed eating the larvae of monarch butterflies, while discarding the entrails. Tenodera sinensis eats male Libellula luctuosa

Tenodera sinensis eats male Libellula luctuosa

Description

The Chinese mantis is a long, slender, brown and green

praying mantis Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species in about 460 genera in 33 families. The largest family is the Mantidae ("mantids"). Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate ...

. It is typically longer than other

species, reaching just over , and is the largest mantis species in North America (spread throughout the Northeast United States). Its color can vary from overall green to brown with a green lateral stripe on the borders of the front wings in the brown color form. In low light, the eyes of the mantis appear black, but in daylight appear to be clear, matching the color of the head. Chinese mantids look similar to another mantis species that has been introduced to the United States, the narrow-winged mantid ('' Tenodera angustipennis''). ''Tenodera sinensis'' and '' Tenodera angustipennis'' are similar in appearance; however, it is possible to tell them apart by locating a spot in between their front legs, as the spot is yellow in the Chinese mantis but orange in the narrow-winged mantis. The female can produce several semi-spherical oothecae, roughly in diameter, containing up to 300 eggs. The oothecae are often affixed to vegetation such as bushes and small trees.

Native range

This mantis is native to China, Japan, the Korean Peninsula, Micronesia, and Thailand. Populations of ''T. sinensis'' in Japan are sympatric with '' Tenodera aridifolia'', the Japanese giant mantis, of which ''T. sinensis'' was formerly considered a subspecies.

Invasive status

The Chinese mantis is regarded by some experts as invasive in various regions of the United States, particularly where the native Carolina mantis (''Stagmomantis carolina'') is found. While commonly sold for

pest control Pest control is the regulation or management of a species defined as a pest (organism), pest; such as any animal, plant or fungus that impacts adversely on human activities or environment. The human response depends on the importance of the da ...

, it is said that Chinese mantids lack effectiveness in pest management. As

ambush predator Ambush predators or sit-and-wait predators are carnivorous animals that capture their prey via stealth, luring or by (typically instinctive) strategies utilizing an element of surprise. Unlike pursuit predators, who chase to capture prey u ...

s, they attack anything within reach that they can subdue, but they do not actively hunt for insect pests. Their non-selective predatory behavior and significant size has led to documented attacks on beneficial insects such as pollinators, small birds, mammals, frogs, and snakes. As a result, the Chinese mantis can alter

food web A food web is the natural interconnection of food chains and a graphical representation of what-eats-what in an ecological community. Position in the food web, or trophic level, is used in ecology to broadly classify organisms as autotrophs or he ...

s and affect the dynamics of local insect populations.

Growth

Chinese mantises hatch in the spring, eat, grow, and molt through the summer, and lay eggs at the end of summer. When it gets too cold, they die, only living around a year long. First

instar An instar (, from the Latin '' īnstar'' 'form, likeness') is a developmental stage of arthropods, such as insects, which occurs between each moult (''ecdysis'') until sexual maturity is reached. Arthropods must shed the exoskeleton in order to ...

nymphs A nymph (; ; sometimes spelled nymphe) is a minor female nature deity in ancient Greek folklore. Distinct from other Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature; they are typically tied to a specific place, land ...

that eat less take a longer time to molt to the next instar and are smaller at the second instar than first instar nymphs that have been fed more.

Captivity

''Tenodera sinensis'' is a common pet for mantis enthusiasts, and oothecae can be purchased from plant nurseries across the US.

Predators

The Chinese mantis is preyed on by other mantises, birds, and the

Asian giant hornet The Asian giant hornet (''Vespa mandarinia''), also known as the northern giant hornet, and the Japanese giant hornet, is the world's largest hornet. It is native to temperate and tropical East Asia, South Asia, mainland Southeast Asia, and par ...

in its native range. The female mantis specifically preys on male mantises. She often kills and eats her male partner after mating, providing nutrition for her offspring.

Sexual cannibalism Sexual cannibalism is when an animal, usually the female, Cannibalism, cannibalizes its mate prior to, during, or after Copulation (zoology), copulation. This trait is observed in many arachnid orders, several insect and crustacean clades, Gastro ...

is a strange phenomenon not yet completely understood by scientists.

Similar species

The European mantis (''Mantis religiosa'') and the Carolina mantis (''Stagmomantis carolina'') are both smaller mantises closely resembling the Chinese mantis. The European mantis is anywhere from tan to green in color and about 7.5 cm (3 in) long. The Carolina mantis, on the other hand, is only 6 cm (2.5 in) in length and varies more in color.

Culture

There are two martial arts styles created to mimic the movements of the Chinese mantis. Developed in the

Shandong Shandong is a coastal Provinces of China, province in East China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River. It has served as a pivotal cultural ...

province of China in the mid-17th century, Praying Mantis kung-fu is based on the quick movements and techniques of the Chinese mantis. An unrelated style of

kung fu Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...

that was developed by the

Hakka people The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka-speaking Chinese, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas, are a southern Han Chinese subgroup whose principal settlements and ancestral homes are dispersed widely across the provinces of southern China ...

Southern China Northern China () and Southern China () are two approximate regions that display certain differences in terms of their geography, demographics, economy, and culture. Extent The Qinling–Daba Mountains serve as the transition zone between ...

is known as Southern Praying Mantis. Master Mantis, one of the supporting characters in the 2008

Dreamworks Animation DreamWorks Animation LLC (DWA, also known as DreamWorks Animation Studios or simply DreamWorks) is an American animation studio, owned by Comcast's NBCUniversal as part of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios, Inc, Universal Stud ...

film franchise '' Kung Fu Panda'', is a Chinese mantis and one of the members of the Furious Five.

Gallery

File:Tenodera sinensis 3 Luc Viatour.jpg, Adult male File:Tenodera sinensis 1 Luc Viatour.jpg, Adult female File:Mantis in Connecticut.jpg, Adult at rest File:Prayingmantismeal.jpg, Adult female ''Tenodera sinensis'' eating a long-horned grasshopper File:Brown sub-adult female Chinese Mantis on hand1243.JPG, Sub-adult female in hand File:Chinese mantis on wall.jpg, Adult female on a wall

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1149167 Mantidae Mantodea of Asia Insects of China Mantodea of North America Insects described in 1871 Insects of Korea