What Mantises Reveal About Insect Evolution

Praying mantises are some of the most captivating predators in the insect world, with their raptorial forelegs, uncanny stillness, and swiveling heads that seem almost alert to a human observer. But mantises are just one branch of a larger family tree called Dictyoptera, which also includes termites and cockroaches, giving scientists a unique window into how such different lifestyles could have arisen from shared ancestry. Entomologist Jessica Ware explores the evolutionary history of mantises, examining their hunting behavior, physiology, and relationships to their Dictyoptera relatives.