Join your host Enzo as he shares his enthusiasm for all things creepy and crawly. From predatory bugs to color changing reptiles and mysterious sea life, Enzo knows his critters.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Went to Sea World Today
What a blast. Lots of kids I knew and I even met some fans of Enzoology. Stay tuned for an episode about sharks and jellyfish. It's going to be so cool. I saw Shamu - or maybe Shamus. There were about six of them. That's the second time I've seen them. The show was corny but the killer whales were cool. I also saw some sea lions, an otter and a walrus!
Did you know killer whales can swim up to 30 miles per hour? For a mammal (not a fish!) that gets 22 feet long and weighs 9000 pounds, that's crazy fast! They are black and white so they are harder to see - it makes it easier to hunt. And they have to hunt a lot - they eat about 240 pounds of food a day! That's about five second graders!
Stumble It!
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Mantodea
The praying mantis is one of my favorite insects. People always spell it wrong writing "Preying" instead of "Praying". Mantis means prophet or fortune teller. If there is more than one, they are called "Mantids".
The praying mantis has a three- segmented body, with a head, thorax and abdomen. Adults have wings and can fly. The front legs are modified into weird grabbing things. When they approach prey, they snatch them up with these legs.
Mantids have huge compound eyes mounted on a triangular head and have a large field of vision. They use sight for detecting movement of prey and swivel their heads to bring their prey into view. They are able to swivel their heads 180 degrees as well as pivot it. Their antennae are used for smelling stuff.
Praying mantids can be found in all parts of the world with mild winters and sufficient vegetation. Praying mantids will spend most of their time in a garden, forest or other vegetated area.
Being a carnivorous insect, the mantis feeds primarily on other insects. Larger mantids can consume small reptiles and even small birds! To capture their prey, mantids use their camouflage to blend in with the surroundings and wait for the prey to be within striking distance. They then use their front legs to quickly snatch the victim and devour it.
When threatened, praying mantids stand tall and spread their forelegs to allow them to penetrate the target, with their wings fanning out wide and mouths open. They also may make a hissing sound.
When they mate, the female usually eats the male! Disgusting but cool!
The natural lifespan of a praying mantis in the wild is about 10 - 12 months. In colder areas, female mantids will die during the winter.
Stumble It!
Stumble It!
