The Praying Mantis
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Part of The Young Citizen: The Magazine for Young People
- Title
- The Praying Mantis
- Year
- 1941
- Rights
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- Fulltext
- }UNE, 1941 THE YOUNG CITIZEN ELEMENTARY SCIENCE SECTION THE ·PRAYING MANTIS PERHAPS no living creature conceals behind a "pious" appearance a more bloodthirsty and malignant disposition than · ·that great hypocrite, the 1'praying mantis," a relative of the. grasshopper and the ·cricket. From the moment of its birth, this insect is a murderer and a cannibal, and is, therefore, of use in preying .on other· insects. Wiih the front part of its body raised up in a prim pose, the hind part swelling out, and. with it.s big arms .folded U:p so properly _beneath its small friangular head, . the mantis does indeed look like an old lady at her prayers. But concealed- on the inside of those arms are sharp and cruel claws, and. that head, cocked now to the right, now to the left; holds two large eyes constantly_ on the lookout for unwary victi!IJS. Perhaps a fly ventures too near. Suddenly the mantis springs; those long, scythe-shaped arms shoot 'Out, and the fly is caught on their curved barbs. Then one leg after another of the unfortunate captive disappears In that greedy mouth; the body is sucked dry; and-the mantis (Pltast. turn to pa9e 218.) THE TARANTULA THIS large, fierce, hairy, running spider . is much dreaded by the natives .cif the warm countries where it is found. Its bite is fatal to insects and small ani~als, arid is popularly supposed to, be ~anger ous to man. People once believed that the only cure for its bite was dancing to lively music until the victim, bathed in perspiration, fell exhausted. From this belief came the name tarantella which is applied to an exceedingly lively Italian dance .in which the speed increases to- the 'end. The true tarantula is -found only in southern Europe, liut the name is commonly applied to many other large spiders in· varfous parts of the world. One ·of these is much larger and more venomous than the Jar gest of the true tarantulas. · These spiders live under rocks and logs, or in deep burrows lined with soft 'silk which they spin from little silk glands located in the abdomen. They do not (Please turn !o page 218.) . 218 THE YOUNG CITIZEN PRAYING MANTIS TARANTULA (Continued from pa9e 20. (Continued from page 207) is back at its prayers. ~hts spin webs in which to to the death often take catch their prey, but wait place between !Wo of these for it like tigers, coninsects, and the victor dines cealed among leaves or on the vanquished. · rubbish, or hiding within }UNE, 1941 MONEY (Continued from page 210) mairis, it is redeemed at half its face value. Some persons make a hobby of collecting coins and "paper" money. · Such a person is called a numismatist. A good collection of coins and bills is. quite valuable. Members of the mantis their burrows. When some family are found in nearly unwary insect passes, the all tropical countries. They tarantula rushes out, bites are quite common in the it, and then drags it info its Philippines. The com- burrow. The bite either monest species is leaf-green kills the victim at once or QUESTIONS in color. l;he eggs are laid ·paralyzes it and make~ it in tough cases attached to helpless. 1. Why did ancient peotwigs, and as soon as the The tarantula does not pie not need money? young hatch, they start chew and swallow the sub- 2. What different things killing small insects. Their stance of its prey, but ·sucks have been used for money? life history is similar to out the blood and other 3. Why are gold and that of grasshoppers. bo?y juices. hs large jaws, silver used for money? As one sees a mantis, how or mandibles as they are 4. Tell ·how coins are prim and proper it· looks called, work up and down made. with its "arms" folded so and.not from side to side as 5. Tell how "paper nicely and its head bowed do the jaws of most spiders. money" is made. between them! That's how Spiders as a class are not 6. What is a person it got its name-the pray- popular, and the tarantula called who collects coins? ing mantis. But it would is especially disliked. How Who collects postage be nearer the truth to call quickly it can spring with stamps? it the "preying mantis," for those long hairy legs and 7. Have you seen any this is just a pose that con- seize its prey! That's why collections of coins? ceals its fierce, blood-thirsty the tarantula does not have 8. Have you studied the disposition. to weave a web, as so many pictures of the coins ilThese cr.eatures have spiders do. lustrated on page 209? Tell been looked upon with about some of the coins ilsuperstitious awe since an- QUESTIONS lustrated there. cient times. In China they I. Tell about a taran- 9. Which ones interare kept in cages and tula. ested you the most? Why? matched in prize fights. 2. Does it spin a web? 10. Can you name all the QUESTIONS 1. Have you seen a praying mantis in the Philippines? 2. Describe this insect. Why not? Philippine coins of the 3. How does it catch its present time? The bills prey? used as "paper money"? 4. How does it eat its 11. Do yotL think the prey? money system of the Phil5. Are you afraid of a ippiries is good? Why do spider? Why? you think so?