Insect with a long, flexible neck and well-developed eyes. Its 2 front legs, held in a praying manner, are adapted to seizing prey; its 4 back legs are designed for walking and jumping. Females of some species are wingless; males generally have wings. Length ranges from 2/5 to 6 inches. Some species have a single ear tuned to high frequencies, apparently to help in detecting and eluding bats. There are some 1,800 mantid species, including the praying mantis.