The Incredible Empusa Pennata!

The common Empusa ( Empusa pennata ) is an insect of the order Mantodea ( mantoptera in French), formerly Dictyoptera , of the family Empusidae .

The empuse has an oblong head surmounted by a cone. The antennae are bipectinate in the male. Its color can be brown or green.

Males are attracted to light. Empuses feed on small prey, especially flies .

The empuses are adults between May and August. It is the young individuals that overwinter unlike other mantids . They are nicknamed "devils of Provence" because of their always raised abdomen.