A desert mantis that counts its molts
On the last day of March, in San Diego, this mantis was already out and about, its pale body easy to miss against the dry vegetation. It held its folded raptorial forelegs in the classic patient pose, waiting for something smaller to make a mistake.
This is Stagmomantis limbata, commonly called the Arizona mantis, a member of the family Mantidae found across the southwestern United States. Like most mantises it shows strong sexual dimorphism: females grow noticeably larger than males, and body colour ranges from green to brown depending on the individual and its surroundings.
This species is quietly famous among mantis researchers for something subtle. Its number of juvenile molts, the instars, is not fixed. Depending on food availability and temperature, individuals may reach adulthood after different numbers of molts, and this flexibility directly shapes how large the adult becomes. In effect, the same species can take different roads to the same destination, and the road chosen changes the outcome.
Watching a mantis in the wild is watching patience as a lifestyle. This one gave me a long, unblinking stare, decided I was too big to be lunch, and went back to waiting.
