Chances are you have seen or at least heard of the praying mantis... But I doubt you know of the...Preying waspis!
Ok, leaving silly puns aside this is something really cool I learnt today thanks to a video on Reddit.
Check it out
https://youtube.com/shorts/HbNxdzlHx60?si=ggjaqb49clR_5FKu
So, my first thought was that this thing was a mantis exhibiting wasp mimicry, much like the guy on the video.
Turns out we are both wrong!
It's actually a mantidfly! Also known as mantispids, mantid lacewings, mantisflies or mantis-flies, these are insects that belong to the family Mantispidae, with about 400 species describes as today. The mantis like forelimbs are just a case of convergent evolution
As for the individual depicted in the video, it belongs to the species Climaciella brunnea. Some common names it comes by are wasp mantidfly, western mantidfly, and brown mantidfly.
The species occurs in the US, north into Canada, and south into Mexico in areas with ample vegetation where it can ambush prey.
Much like mantises, it uses its forelegs to capture small insects, including flies, aphids, and other arthropods.
As for the wasp-like looks, its a form of bayesian mimicry. Essentially, it mimics another more dangerous animal, in this case a wasp, to deter predators.
They don't have a sting but when threatened they will move their abdomens in a pumping-motion to resemble a wasp about to sting. They will even lean forward and position their abdomens upward while continuing to throb in a stinging motion.
Anyways, it's a really interesting looking critter, feel free to click here and here if you would like to learn more. They even have a parasitic life cycle, like many wasps do!
I'll close now with some more videos for your viewing pleasure:
Ok friends, see you soon with more bizarre critters 😄
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