If you’ve ever heard someone say that a praying mantis can spit venom at you or even blind you, you’re definitely not alone. It’s one of those myths that seems to have been passed around for generations, and a lot of people genuinely believe it. So is there any truth to it at all? Do praying mantises actually spit? Read on to find out more.
No, Praying Mantises Do Not Spit
Let’s get straight to it. Praying mantises do not produce venom or any other liquid substance in self defense. They only have their front legs and their bite for defense. That’s it. No spitting, no spraying, no chemical defense of any kind whatsoever.
Praying mantises do have saliva in their mouths, but that saliva is purely for the purpose of digesting food. It is not venomous, and they don’t use it for defensive or hunting purposes. So even the saliva they do have is completely harmless to you and serves absolutely no offensive function. If you want to know more about how they actually hunt and take down their prey, our guide on what do praying mantises eat covers that in full detail.
So Where Did This Myth Come From?
This is where things get really interesting. The spitting myth didn’t just appear out of nowhere — it actually has a very specific origin, and it involves a completely different insect that often gets mixed up with the praying mantis.
The rumor got started after people observed insects known as walking sticks. Some species of walking sticks can secrete an acidic spray as a self-defense mechanism and can actually shoot it about two feet with some accuracy. Certain species of praying mantis may look similar to walking sticks, hence the confusion.
According to the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the twostriped walkingstick, Anisomorpha buprestoides, is capable of squirting a strong-smelling defensive spray that is painfully irritating. And according to a study published on PubMed, this species can target the eyes and cause ocular injury, with cases ranging from conjunctivitis to corneal ulceration. That’s genuinely alarming — but it has absolutely nothing to do with the praying mantis.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology confirms that the twostriped walkingstick has two small glands that allow it to accurately spray a toxic chemical about 2 to 3 feet into the eyes of a potential predator, causing intense eye pain, inflammation of the outer skin of the eye, and cornea damage. So the myth about a mantis blinding you with its spit? That’s a real thing — just applied to the completely wrong insect.
According to Mississippi State University Extension Service, praying mantises cannot spit. It is the twostriped walkingstick that squirts a defensive spray from special glands on its back that can cause much pain and discomfort. The two insects can look similar enough to casual observers that the confusion is understandable, but they are entirely different creatures with entirely different defense mechanisms.
Can A Praying Mantis Hurt You At All?
Now that we’ve cleared up the spitting myth, you might still be wondering whether a praying mantis can do any harm to you at all. The honest answer is that it’s very unlikely, but there are a couple of things worth knowing about.
Praying mantises defend themselves by announcing their presence and not by spitting. They stand tall on their back legs, raise their front legs which are larger in size compared to the other legs, open their wings to give the appearance of girth, and proceed to kick out their front legs to fight off the predator. It looks pretty dramatic, but as far as you as a human are concerned, it’s essentially all show. You can read a lot more about this in our dedicated article on are praying mantises venomous.
One thing that can actually cause minor discomfort though is their spiky forelegs. According to Wildlife Informer, praying mantises do not produce venom or any other liquid substance in self defense, but those spiky front legs are capable of drawing blood should a praying mantis manage to get hold of your finger. It feels like a series of tiny pin pricks rather than anything truly painful, and it won’t require any medical attention beyond a quick wash with soap and water.
As for biting, while praying mantises can bite if they feel threatened, their bites are not harmful to humans. They don’t have venom, and their jaws are not strong enough to break human skin in most cases. We cover this topic in much more depth in our article on do praying mantises bite, so head over there if you want the full picture.
What About That Hissing Sound?
Here’s another thing that trips people up and might contribute to the spitting myth. Praying mantises can actually make a hissing sound when they feel threatened, and if you’ve never heard it before it can genuinely sound like something is being expelled from their body.
According to research published in the Journal of Orthoptera Research, defensive sounds in praying mantises are generated via an abdominoalary mechanism involving contact between teeth found on the longitudinal veins of the metathoracic wings and pegs located on the abdominal pleura. In simpler terms, they create that hissing noise by rubbing their wings against their abdomen — not by expelling any liquid or substance whatsoever.
Praying mantises make hissing or chirping sounds like snakes and crickets by shaking their wings, controlling airflow through their spiracles, and rubbing their wings together when they feel threatened. So if you ever hear that sound while handling one, don’t panic. It’s just their way of saying they’d rather be left alone — not a warning that something is about to be launched at your face.
Is It Safe To Get Close To A Praying Mantis?
Absolutely. A praying mantis does not spit or spray any venom, and neither is its bite dangerous to humans. You can observe one up close, let it walk onto your hand, and spend as much time with it as you like without any real cause for concern. The key is just to be calm and gentle in how you approach it. Check out our full guide on can you hold a praying mantis before you try it if you want some helpful pointers on doing it safely.
If you’re thinking about keeping one as a pet, you’ll be pleased to know they make genuinely fascinating companions. Have a look at our articles on are praying mantises good pets and can you keep a praying mantis as a pet to help you decide whether one is right for you. And if you’re just getting started, our guide on the best praying mantis species for beginners is a great place to begin.
Conclusion
Praying mantises do not spit. They never have and they never will. If attacked, a praying mantis can fight back with its forelegs and mandibles, but not with venom or bitter-tasting chemicals. It has to count on scaring enemies away by looking frightening or by hurting them enough to make them back off. The spitting myth almost certainly comes from the twostriped walkingstick, a completely different insect that really does spray a genuinely nasty chemical at predators. The two look similar enough to cause confusion, but they couldn’t be more different when it comes to how they defend themselves. If you want to keep learning about these fascinating insects, our guides on the praying mantis lifespan and praying mantis cannibalism are well worth a read.