Most praying mantises are ambush predators, which explains their supersized forelegs with long curved spines. These insects get their name from a habit of holding their big forelimbs in front of their faces, a posture that resembles a person in prayer. In fact, these long raptorial limbs are spring-loaded with recoil and muscle, and their placement can be compared to the cocking of the hammer of a gun. These toothed limbs snap out from the body, grasping any prey that make the mistake of wandering into the "kill zone."

Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evoluti…, loc. 115