But it loses its disguise as it reaches maturity. Some may actually stalk prey that are nearby and a few have the speed to run down their prey. Most mantids eat insects. But some large ones can even handle small birds, frogs and small reptiles. Like other supreme predators, they are also cannibals and will happily eat another mantid.
Most mantids are active during the day, but some are active at night, catching moths.
They use stiff hairs on the neck to accurately determine the strike. Unlike other insect predators which paralyse their prey with stings, mantids don't bother to kill their prey. With their massive spined arms securely gripping the squirming prey, many mantids delicately nibble on or tear off little chunks off the living prey. The female lures males to mate with her pheromones. It is often said that female mantids eat the males, but generally this only happens in captivity, and rarely in the wild.