Unicorn Boxer Mantis

Description:

While in rest it grasping front legs and abdomen are attached with thorax in such a way that it looks like an oval. Hestiasula brunneriana, and is belongs to a group of praying mantis that are referred to as "Boxer mantises", due to their enlarged raptorial forelegs, of which are used for communication. It is a small species with huge shielded femur. Female has “horn” while male has a small “bump” on the head. So this species must have been accustomed to high humidity (>70%) and hot weather (30C). The hatchling of this species is very small; smaller than the size of large fruit flies. However, the little nymphs are capable of handling the smaller fruit flies (D. melanogaster) which is as big as the nymph itself. The hatchling move very fast and are quite jumpy too, which prey on immature stages and adults of teak defoliators and several other forest pests. Biology and behaviour of the species were studied under laboratory conditions. Fecundity of the female and the longevity of males and females were also studied. few species are seen throughout the year.

Habitat:

The mantids feed on many cashew pests including tea mosquito bug, leaf beetles, leaf feeding caterpillars etc. Knowledge on ecology, life history, breeding, rearing feasibility and behavior of many of the mantid species is scanty. under captive breeding using greater wax moth larvae as prey. In case of H. brunneriana, incubation period lasted for 26.65±0.27 days and there were seven nymphal instars, completed in 78-120 days. Whereas in E. pulchra, incubation period was just 9.38±0.18 days and the nymphal period comprised of six instars. Unlike E. pulchra, early instar nymphs of H. brunneriana managed well to feed on tiny wax moth larvae and survived well. Cannibalism was not observed during nymphal stages when reared in groups of 3 or 4 with sufficient prey. Though incubation period and nymphal developmental period were short in E. pulchra, adult longevity, oviposition period and fecundity were high compared to H. brunneriana. The period of sexual maturity, ovipositional behaviour and the courtship behaviour of the mantids were also recorded. A single mantis female can have up to 1000 babies A single mantis female can produce more than 1000 young? After mating it will produce egg cases called ootheca that can have more than 200 eggs inside each. And she can make around 6 of them! Not every species of mantis is as productive as this, some species produce much fewer eggs per egg case. For producing these many babies she does not need to mate more than once.

Notes:

It's very Hard to reach out this species according to my knowledge it's not easy to identify this angel because this mantis blessed with great camouflage the structure of mantis looks like a dry leaf. so mostly its take place on the dry leaves by that it can get good camouflage.