Mediterranean Mantis Iris oratoria

These Mediterranean hunters are expanding their territory across three continents—the Middle East, Western Asia, and now the United States. Like all mantises, they're lightning-fast ambush predators that can pluck flying insects mid-air with their powerful raptorial front legs. Their ongoing invasion is a testament to their incredible adaptability, and a window into how climate change and global trade reshape where insects thrive. Some populations have even been spotted thriving in cooler temperate zones, challenging the assumption that mantises are purely tropical.