Mantis religiosa

Originally from Europe, this species has established itself throughout much of the US.  The males are the smaller of the two, and don't eat as often, and certainly don't have the same appetite.  

After this pair mated, I tried to get 5 other pairs to mate.  3 pairs began mating within 20 minutes of being introduced to one another's cages.  The females from the other 2 pairs thought the males were dessert to the meal of 3 crickets we had given them in preparation to introduction of the males.  I had to physically remove the insects from each others entangled arms.  The males didn't want to let go, as they had already assumed the mating position ( wrapping his forearms around the meeting point of her thorax and abdomen and holding on for dear life, literally).  The females were either angry at the perceived "attack" or were still hungry.  A few days after that, I found one male in the bottom of its cage, being eaten by its own lunch (the cricket).  I assume that the female had actually punctured his abdomen, and the cricket had finished him off once he had weakened, and fallen to the bottom of his cage.  

There is a great deal of color variability in this species, with both sexes ranging from tan, grey, green, ivory, to dark silvery-brown.  A distinguishing white spot, bordered by black, can be found on the inside of each foreleg (armpit), near where they come together on the trunk.  The reach about 2 to 3 inches, with the males being towards the smaller end of the range.