A praying mantis sits in a bush. She is waiting. She doesn’t move. Her thin, green body blends in with the leaves. She folds her long, thin arms in front of her. She hears a sound and turns her


head. A cricket has landed on the bush. It nibbles on some leaves. It doesn’t see the green killer below. T e praying mantis lets the cricket


get close to her. Suddenly, the praying mantis attacks. She spears the cricket with spikes


on her front legs. T en she chomps off the cricket’s head. T e praying mantis isn’t the only


predator here, though. An Asian giant hornet fl ies by. T e praying mantis tries to look tough. She spreads her wings. T is makes her seem larger. She waves her legs and hisses.


T e hornet attacks. T e praying


mantis grabs it with her pinchers. T e hornet wriggles free. T en it dives. It stings and bites the praying mantis. T e praying mantis tries to fl ip the


hornet off of her back. T e hornet bites and stings again and again. Finally, it’s over. T e praying mantis is dead. T e predator has now become the prey. T e praying mantis, the crocodile,


and the great white shark are feared predators. Yet sometimes even great hunters fail. And sometimes they become prey.


herd: a group of animals of one kind


instinct: a behavior an animal is born with


predator: an animal that kills and eats other animals


prey: an animal hunted or caught by another animal for food


A praying mantis stays still as it looks for prey.


8 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER 8


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