PRAYING MANTISES with Lohitashwa Garikipati
From Smologies with Alie Ward by Alie Ward
March 19, 2026 · 27 min
About this episode
This episode features a discussion about praying mantises with entomologist Lohitashwa Garikipati, covering their behaviors, habitats, and compatibility with pets.
Pointy heads. Spiked arms. Genius disguises. It’s a whole episode about praying mantises with a real life Mantodeologist. Do they really eat hummingbirds? Are they extraterrestrial? How can you convince them to visit your garden? Get your fill of evolutionary gossip, camouflage strategies, their alien egg cases, huge eyes, pet advice, and why they’re compatible with cat lovers with this delightful entomologist and longtime keeper of mantises, Lohit Garikipati.
People in this episode
Host: Alie Ward
Guest: Lohitashwa Garikipati
Topics covered
- praying mantises
- entomology
- evolution
- camouflage
- gardening
- pets
Keywords
- praying mantises
- Lohitashwa Garikipati
- entomology
- evolutionary gossip
- camouflage strategies
- pet advice
- gardening
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Mantodeologist
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