''Stagmomantis limbata'',

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often con ...

bordered mantis, bosque mantis, Arizona mantis, or New Mexico praying mantis, is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

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 ...

native to North America, most prevalent in the south-western United States. This

beneficial insect Beneficial insects (sometimes called beneficial bugs) are any of a number of species of insects that perform valued services like pollination and pest control. The concept of ''beneficial'' is subjective and only arises in light of desired outcome ...

is green or beige in color and grows up to around 3 inches long.

Behavior

''Stagmomantis limbata'' are attracted to lights, and males often fly to lights in numbers, but females are unable to fly.

Description

''S. limbata ''is one of the largest mantids native to North America, though it is much smaller than some African and Asian mantids such as species in the genera ''

Sphodromantis ''Sphodromantis'' is a large genus of praying mantises concentrated in Africa, sometimes considered a synonym of the genus ''Hierodula'': from the same family, Mantidae. Outside their range especially, many share the common name African Mantis. ...

'' and ''

Hierodula ''Hierodula'' is a genus of praying mantids in the tribe Hierodulini, found throughout Asia. Many species are referred to by the common name giant Asian mantis because of their large size compared to other mantids. Their large size and vibrant ...

''. The facial plate (below and between antennae) is about twice as wide as it is long, typical of the

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

, though the eyes are not as protruding as the Carolina Mantid's. Females are most often fairly plain green (often with a yellowish abdomen), but sometimes gray, or light brown, with dark spot in middle of the tegmina, which do not completely cover the wide abdomen. Hind wings may be checkered or striped yellow. Males are slender, long-winged, and variable in color, but most often green and brown with the sides of the folded tegmina green and top brownish (may be solid gray, brown, green, or any combination of these). Abdomen without prominent dark spots on top. The wings are transparent, usually with cloudy brownish spots on outer half.

Habitat

Variable, often in open semi-arid areas in tall forbs, shrubs, or trees, but more abundant in lusher, often riparian and wooded areas of streamsides, roadsides, canyons, in towns, etc.

Range

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...

, north into

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

and

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

, south into

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

Additional Images

File:Mantis wings spreaqd.jpg, Adult female ''Stagmomantis limbata'' File:Praying mantis in SoCal.JPG, Adult female ''Stagmomantis limbata'' File:Praying Mantis - jsmith.JPG, Adult female ''Stagmomantis limbata'' File:Praying mantis in SoCal 2.JPG, Adult female ''Stagmomantis limbata'' File:Mantis and Eggs 2952.jpg, Adult female ''Stagmomantis limbata'' laying an ootheca File:Prayingmantisdefense.jpg, Adult female ''Stagmomantis limbata''

References