Carolina Praying Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina)

Not only found in the Carolinas, carolina praying mantises are found throughout much of the United States and south to Brazil. Since they are widespread and native, they can safely be introduced to gardens as predators in order to control pests. Unlike most other insects, they do not undergo a metamorphosis, and their young simply look like a smaller version of the adults. Also unlike other insects, all mantids have highly flexible necks making them the only insects that can look over their shoulders. When fully grown, females are known to cannibalize males after mating as well as their own young. Mantids also possess a textbook example of “raptorial forearms” - the modified front legs that bend backwards to catch prey. Luckily, they are ambush predators, because they are very poorly balanced for walking and horrible fliers despite having wings.