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| Male mantis consuming a moth. |
Range: New Jersey south to Florida; west to Utah, Arizona, Texas, and through Mexico to Central America.
Season: Mantids are most commonly seen in late summer and early fall. Most are killed by cold weather in the fall, but can live longer in warmer climates in the southern US.
Food: Butterflies, moths, flies, small wasps and bees, true bugs and caterpillars -- most anything they can catch and consume.
Life Cycle: Eggs overwinter and hatch in early spring. Adults are mature by late summer and usually die by winter.
Remarks: Carolina Mantids are native to North America. They are smaller than their imported Asian cousins. Males have fully developed wings and can fly. Females do not.
Source: BugGuide
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