| Picture |
Names |
Care & Housing |
Behavioral notes |
Feeding & Prey |
Size |
Ootheca incubation & hatch rate |
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Acromantis formosana
Taiwan flower mantis |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
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Brunneria borealis
Brunner's mantis |
NA |
Parthenogenetic species: no known males. All othecae laid are fertile. |
- |
♀ 10-14 cm |
3-4 months with a hatching period of over a year
20-30 nymphs from each ooth |
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Gonatista grisea
Grizzled mantis |
Lots of excelsior and twigs, paper towel lining the sides of the container when a nymph. Molts are easy and require little humidity. Adult and older nymph housing is general mantid housing requirement. |
Runs very fast and stays low to the ground, flatten forearms outward like a crab scuttling sideways. Does not like to be disturbed often, or will run away. |
Semi-aggressive species. Do not give a 100% fruitfly diet for these guys as nymphs, they are too moist and seem to increase deathrate for this species when nymphs. Try to increase variety, leafhoppers are acceptable and easily obtained in the summer while running a net through the grass. As adults and older nymphs, crickets and other feeders are adequate. |
NA |
NA |
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Gongylus gongylodes
Wandering violin mantis |
Lots of twigs and bramble, as this is what simulates their natural habitat. They are communal and may be housed together with little or no cannibalism. Keep temperature at least at 95, it is recommended to keep more than 100 degrees for them. Keep humidity low throughout the entire lifecycle. Very bright lighting is necessary for gongy, for 12 hours a day. NOT A BEGINNER'S MANTIS. |
They do not look at their prey, and only react when bumped by the prey. They sway choppily when disturbed, and travel to the area in their enclosure with the most stable temperature. |
Semi-agressive. Since they do not react to prey unless it bumps them, flying insects, moths especially, are recommended. Gongy raised on crickets do not produce oothecae foam correctly. |
NA |
NA |
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Hymenopus coronatus
Orchid mantis |
Keep in well ventilated containers, this species is prone to fungal infections if humidity is too high and containers are poorly ventilated. 80-90 degrees and 50% or higher humidity recommended.
Nymphs seem to drink a lot of water, mist every three days. |
The orchid mantis is infamous for sexual dimorphism: the male is a lot smaller than the female. He also matures much faster, usually 3-7 weeks ahead of the female. This is what makes them a challenge to breed, timing is everything. Orchids will also take on the color of their environment. Wrap their cages in pink towels and they will gain pink coloration in their next molt. When they first hatch from the ootheca, they are camouflaged as assassin bugs as they are black and red but lose this color as they molt into L2's. |
Orchids are not very acceptable of hand feeding and do not notice prey unless it naturally crawls over (if you push it over or drop it, it will be ignored). Nymphs start out on D. hydei. Flying prey is recommended for later instars, especially moths and other pollinating insects. Crickets are acceptable, but not usually recommended. |
♂ 3 cm
♀ 7-8 cm |
35-45 day incubation period
30-90 nymphs from each ooth |
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Miomantis paykulli
Egyptian mantis |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
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Odontomantis planiceps
Ant mantis |
- |
When these mantids are nymphs, they have great ant mimicry, complete with a fake stinger. As they get older, they lose their black coloring and ant look. The nymphs take off running once you open their containers, so be extra cautious, you may lose one. This species matures, runs, and flies quickly, and is a breeding machine. Females can produce up to 25 oothecae in their lifetime! |
Adults and older nymphs are extremely aggressive and can take down prey larger than themselves. Nymphs start out on D. melanogaster, as they get older graduate to hydei, housefly, and larger prey. Crickets are acceptable for this species. |
♂ 1.8 cm
♀ 2.5 cm |
25-30 days incubation
10-30 nymphs from each ooth |
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Oligonicella scudderi
Scudder's mantis |
Nymphs and adults cannot climb plastic or smooth surfaces well. Line containers with paper towel and include lots of excelsior and twigs for them to climb on, they like brambled and shrub areas with lots of tangled grass.
A less common species found in the U.S. The Scudder's mantis has very thin, elongated and delicate looking legs. They do not like hanging from lids, and prefer perches on grass and excelsior. When bothered/handled, they will flip over off your hand and or play dead. A very skittish mantis, but tackles prey nicely. |
Semi-aggressive when mature. Nymphs are extremely small and must be started off on springtails. L3 and up can take D. melanogaster and eventually graduate to hydei and small crickets. |
♂ 3 cm
♀ 3.5 cm |
91-100 days incubation
?? hatch rate |
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Oxypilus distinctus
Boxer mantis |
- |
The boxer mantis, when disturbed, extends its oversized forearms out and inwards, like it is boxing. The inside of the forearm is a red and orange coloration. The nymphs are EXTREMELY energetic and run all over the place, and you can easily lose one if you are not careful. At times, they will play dead as well. Females of this species seem to mature faster than the males. As they get older, nymphs lose their multi-coloration for a simple brown color. |
Nymphs must be started on D. melanogaster, and not until L3-4 can they take hydei. They get aggressive later on and will take prey as big as themselves. Any prey item is sufficient for this species. |
♂ 1 cm
♀ 1.5 cm |
NA
5-30 hatch rate for each ootheca |
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Parasphendale agrionina
Budwing mantis |
- |
This species has bright splotches of bright colors inbetween its forearms. When threatened, they open their forearms wide and "wave" back and forth. Budwings hate being held right where the wings begin (in the middle of the thorax where the legs come together) and will turn around to bite and pinch if you do. Females who take ahold of their mate can be coaxed into letting go by doing this. Budwing nymphs drink a lot of water, so misting every other day is required. This species is very hardy, able to withstand most temperature and humidity levels. |
This species is very aggressive, hardy, and easy to hand feed. Like an average mantis, they start out on D. hydei, and graduate to large prey. |
♂ 4-5 cm
♀ 6-8 cm |
4-6 week incubation period
100-150 hatch rate for each ooth |
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Phyllocrania paradoxa
Ghost mantis |
This is not a beginner's mantis, it requires some experience. House nymphs and non-adults in cages with NOTHING in them. Make sure the lid has a sufficient grip. Ghosts are notorious for molting low to the ground when decoratives are included in the enclosures. Including nothing in the enclosure will force them to molt on the lid and ensure molting success. Keep them at 80-90 degrees and 40-60% humidity in a well ventilated cage. |
Ghosts, notorious for communality and being housed together, can actually cannibalize - usually you see with females eating males. Younger nymphs communicate with forearm and abdomen movements and usually show little or no cannibalism. Ghosts, unlike most mantids, drink a lot of water and must be watered every other day. Dehydration is perfectly capable of killing this particular species. This species is very skittish and will not hesitate to fly away or play dead when disturbed.
| Most ghosts are not acceptive to handfeeding and forcefeeding is usually always used for this species. They are not very aggressive and if full ignore their prey. Crickets are not usually recommended for Paradoxa. This species is designed to catch flying insects, such as moths, flies, and other pollinating insects. |
♂ 5-6 cm
♀ 5-6 cm |
?? incubation period
20-40 nymph hatch rate from each ooth |
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Phyllovates chlorophaea
Texas Unicorn (Texicorn) |
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Pseudocreobroter ocellata
Spiny flower mantis |
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Pseudoharpax virescens virescens
Gambian spotted-eye flower mantis |
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Stagmomantis carolina
Carolina mantis |
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Sybilla pretiosa
Cryptic mantis |
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Tarachodes sp
Gambian park mantis |
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Tenodera aridifolia sinensis
Chinese mantis |
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Yersiniops sp
Yersin's ground mantis |
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