Brunneria borealis, common nameBrunner's mantis,[1]Brunner's stick mantis,[2][3]ornorthern grass mantis, is a speciesofpraying mantis native to the southern United States. It is the only mantis species known to reproduce solely through parthenogenesis; there are no males.[4]
Brunneria borealis is an elongated green insect with the typical raptorial forelimbs of a mantis. The adults have reduced-size wings and are probably unable to fly. They can grow to a length of about 77 mm (3 in).[5]
This mantis does not breed sexually and the adults, which are all female, lay their eggs without the involvement of a male. The clutch of eggs is protected by an ootheca or egg-case. In most mantis species, each mantis nymph emerges from its own hole in the egg-case, but in this species, one of the ootheca is drawn out into a point and all the nymphs emerge through this. The nymphs are similar to the adults in appearance and go through a series of moults as they grow.[5]
Mantises are generally ambush predators, but little is known about the diet of this mantis. It can be found at night about a foot off the ground, climbing higher among the grasses if disturbed. Judging by its size, it most likely feeds on grasshoppers.[5] This species also enjoys eating grass dwelling phasmatodea, which are often slender instead of robust and have few defenses against the mantises.[citation needed]
