If you find yourself outside this time of year, you might come across one of the world's more intriguing insects: praying mantises. Despite their saw-like arms and alien eyes, they pose no threat—unless of course you happen to be an insect, gecko, or hummingbird.

It’s not that the praying mantises of the America are more abundant in late summer and fall, says Sydney Brannoch, a mantis expert at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. It’s just that they’re more noticeable.

“Right now, they’d be looking for mates, so the males might be a little bit more active, more prone to flying around,” says Brannoch, who is also a doctoral student at Case Western Reserve University. The animals have also spent