Common name(s): Desert Mantis, Pebble Mantis
Difficulty: Intermediate
Size: males up to 1” (2.5cm); females up to 1.5” (3.5cm)
Lifespan: males up to 6 months; females up to 10 months
Recommended minimum enclosure size by instar:
1i-3i: 8oz deli cup (4.5″/11cm diameter)
4i-6i: 8oz deli cup (4.5″/11cm diameter)
7i-adult: 68/96oz deli cup (9.75″/25cm diameter)
Humidity: under 30% or room humidity (no need to lower it), spray rarely, maximum once a week if at all
Temperature: 95-110°F (35-45°C), room temperature is fine at night
Feeding: ideally firebrats (Thermobia domestica) are used for all instars, but many have luck with other feeders. If you’d like to use other feeders, here is a good size guide:
1i-2i: D. melanogaster fruit flies
3i-5i: D. hydei fruit flies, pinhead roaches, pinhead crickets
6i-adult: house flies, small roaches, small crickets
Breeding:
Wait until around 2 weeks after mature molt for females and 1 week for males.
Females lay around 10 ooths which hatch in around 4-6 weeks when kept at the same parameters as mantises, although spraying around once a week can be beneficial. Each ooth will hatch up to 15 nymphs and often will hatch over time instead of all at once.
Notes: These mantises do best on a sandy substrate. A mix of something like play sand, clay, and gravel works well. They do not need things to hang from as they molt on the ground, but they will climb on things like small rocks and bark if provided.
Other Resources: