What Do Praying Mantises Eat?

Mantises eat only living insects. They ever eat dead ones. The front legs of a mantis have spines on them. The spines help hold insects that the mantis has caught. The insects can't escape from the mantis's legs. Mantises are very good at catching insects. They can move their heads up and down and sideways without moving their bodies. Mantises and dragonflies are among the very few insects that have this ability. Other insects do not notice the mantis' slow movements. When catching its prey a mantis draws in its front legs. Then it suddenly extends them and pushes the victim down between the spines on its front legs. Mantises don't use their front legs much when they're walking. They use them to scare way their enemies and to catch the insects they want to eat.