Category: Mantis Care Guides

Common species: Stagmomantis carolina, S. limbata, S. wheeleri, S. floridensis, S. gracilipes

Common names: Carolina mantis (S. carolina), bordered mantis (S. limbata), Arizona mantis (S. limbata or S. gracilipes), California mantis (S. wheeleri), Florida mantis (S. floridensis), Arizona tan mantis (S. gracilipes)

Difficulty: Beginner

Size: Both sexes up to 3″ (7.5cm)

Lifespan: Males up to 8-10 months; females up to 1 year

Recommended enclosure size by instar:
– 1i-3i: 2oz/5.5oz deli cup (2×2″/5×5cm)
– 4i-6i: 5.5oz/16oz deli cup (4×4″/10×10cm)
– 7i-adult: 8×8×12″ (20×20×30cm) enclosure minimum

Humidity: 60-80%, but adaptable to a wide range of humidity levels; mist every other day or so for hydration

Temperature: 70-86°F (21-30°C)

Feeding:
– 1i-2i: D. melanogaster or D. hydei fruit flies
– 3i-5i: D. hydei fruit flies, house flies, small cockroaches, small crickets
– 6i-adult: House flies, green/blue bottle flies, medium cockroaches, medium crickets, waxworms/moths, mealworms (treat only)

Breeding:
Breeding can be attempted once both sexes are around 3 weeks into adulthood.
Females lay 4-8 ooths, generally preferring flat surfaces.

Species specific breeding notes:
– Stagmomantis carolina: diapause not needed, but can be done to provide for stronger nymphs. If not diapaused, nymphs will emerge in 1-4 months. Diapause may take place over up to 7-9 months at temperatures of around 50-60°F. Ooths will hatch over up to 21 days and hatch 20-40 nymphs.
– Stagmomantis floridensis: Nymphs emerge in 8-10 weeks and do not require diapause. Ooths generally hatch all nymphs at once and will hatch up to 50 nymphs.
– Stagmomantis gracilipes: Ooths can be diapaused similarly to S. carolina. Each ooth will hatch up to 50 nymphs.

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Other Resources:

Mantid Forum – Stagmomantis limbata

Mantid Forum – Stagmomantis wheeleri (formerly Stagmomantis californica)

Mantis Monarch – Stagmomantis carolina

ADW – Stagmomantis carolina

Panterra Pets – Carolina Mantis

Common hobby species: Tenodera sinensis, T. angustipennis

Common name(s): Chinese Mantis (T. sinensis), Narrow-wing Mantis (T. angustipennis)

Difficulty: Intermediate

Size: both sexes about 4” (10cm)

Lifespan: Males up to 6-8 months; females up to 1 year

Recommended enclosure size by instar:
– 1i-3i: 2oz/5.5oz deli cup (2×2″/5×5cm)
– 4i-6i: 5.5oz/16oz deli cup (4×4″/10×10cm)
– 7i-adult: 12×12×12″ (30×30×30cm) enclosure minimum

Humidity: 50-60%; mist every other day or so for hydration

Temperature: 70-86°F (21-30°C)

Feeding:
– 1i-2i: D. melanogaster or D. hydei fruit flies
– 3i-5i: house flies, green/blue bottle flies, small cockroaches, small crickets
– 6i-adult: blue bottle flies, medium/large cockroaches, medium/large crickets, wax worm/moths, mealworms (as treats)

Breeding:
Breeding can be attempted when males have been mature for 2 weeks and females have been mature for 3-4 weeks.
Females lay multiple ooths, generally on thin branches, which hatch in 4-5 weeks when kept at the same parameters as the mantises. Each ooth hatches on from 50 to 300 nymphs.
Diapause is not necessary, but is considered to be beneficial and can help delay hatching. This can be done in the fridge or an outdoor unheated structure like a shed. The ooth should be allowed to harden for around 2 weeks before being chilled. Diapause can be done at any temperature below 50°F but generally shouldn’t be below 15-20°F at minimum. The ooth will hatch once it is exposed to temperatures over 60°F consistently for 1-4 weeks

Other notes: This species is very prone to collapsed abdomens and mismolts. If they hang from the lid upside down too often, their abdomen may begin to fold and they will require an enclosure that does not allow them to hang from the top.

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Other Resources:

Mantid Forum – Tenodera sinensis

Panterra Pets – Chinese Mantis

ADW – Tenodera sinensis (formerly Tenodera aridifolia)

Common hobby species: Deroplatys lobata, D. desiccata, D. truncata, D. trigonodera

Common names: Dead Leaf Mantis, Giant Dead Leaf Mantis, Malaysian Dead Leaf Mantis, Asian Dead Leaf Mantis

Difficulty: Intermediate

Size: males up to 1.75” (4.5cm)[D. desiccata – up to 2.75” (7cm)]; females up to 2.75” (7cm)[D. desiccata – up to 3” (8cm)]

Lifespan: males up to 1 year [D. desiccata up to 1.5 years]; females up to 2 years

Recommended enclosure size by instar:
– 1i-3i: 5.5 deli cup (3×3″/8×8cm)
– 4i-6i: 16oz deli cup (4×4″/10×10cm)
– 7i-adult: Depending on species, either 8×8×12″ (20×20×20cm) or 12×12×12″ (30×30×30cm) minimum

Humidity: 60-80%, misting every other day or so for hydration

Temperature: 75-85°F (24-29.5°C)

Feeding:
– 1i-2i: D. hydei fruit flies
– 3i-5i: house flies, blue bottle flies, small/medium cockroaches, small/medium crickets
– 6i-adult: blue bottle flies, medium/large cockroaches, medium/large crickets, wax worm/moths, mealworms (as treats)

Breeding:
Breeding can be attempted when males have been mature for 3 weeks and females have been mature for 4+ weeks.
Females lay up to 8 ooths, generally on thick branches or the underside of leaves, which hatch in 6-7 weeks when kept at the same parameters as the mantises. Each ooth hatches on average 40 nymphs, but up to 100 nymphs.

Other notes: They can be finicky eaters, but many will prefer larger and/or flying prey (especially D. dessicata).
They tend to prefer hanging out on the ground and on sticks near the ground. Be careful to ensure there is not a spot for them to molt too close to the ground and mismolt.

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Other Resources:

Mantids & More – Lexicon – Deroplatys desiccata

Mantids & More – Lexicon – Deroplatys lobata

Mantids & More – Lexicon – Deroplatys truncata

Jax Mantis – Deroplatys desiccata

Jax Mantis – Deroplatys lobata

Jax Mantis – Deroplatys truncata

Difficulty: Intermediate

Size: males up to 1.5” (4cm); females up to 3.5” (9cm)

Lifespan: males up to 1 year; females up to 1.5 years

Recommended minimum enclosure size by instar:
– 1i-3i: 2/5.5oz deli cup (2×2″/5×5cm)
– 4i-6i: 16/32oz deli cup (4×4″/10×10cm)
– 7i-adult: 32oz (4×6″/10×15cm) deli cup for males; around 8×8×8″ (20×20×20cm) for females

Humidity: ~50-60%, misting every other day or so

Temperature: 75-86°F (24-30°C)

Feeding: flying feeders are preferred; ensure feeders are kept very clean
– 1i-2i: D. melanogaster and/or D. hydei fruit flies
– 3i-5i: house flies, green bottle flies, small roaches, small crickets
– 6i-adult: house flies, small roaches, small crickets

Breeding:

Notes: Orchids are very susceptible to infections. Cross ventilation and clean conditions/feeders are essential for this species.

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Other Resources:

Mantids & More – Lexicon – Hymenopus coronatus

Marshall Arachnids – Orchid Mantis

Mantis Monarch – Hymenopus coronatus

Jax Mantis – Hymenopus coronatus

Difficulty: Intermediate

Size: males up to .5” (1.5cm); females up to 1.5” (3.5cm)

Lifespan: males up to 6 months; females up to 1 year

Recommended minimum enclosure size by instar:
– 1i-3i: 2oz deli cup (2×2″/5×5cm)
– 4i-6i: 5.5/8oz deli cup (3×3″/8×8cm)
– 7i-adult: 16oz (4×4″/10×10cm) deli cup for males; 32oz (4×6″/10×15cm) deli cup for females

Humidity: 50-70%, spray once a day or so

Temperature: 75-86°F (24-30°C); room temperature is fine at night

Feeding:
– 1i-2i: D. melanogaster fruit flies
– 3i-5i: D. hydei fruit flies, pinhead/small roaches, pinhead/small crickets, house flies
– 6i-adult: house flies, green/blue bottle flies, small roaches, small crickets, wax worms/moths, mealworms (as treats only)

Breeding:
Breeding can be attempted when females have been mature for 3-4 weeks and males have been mature around a week.

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Other Resources:

Mantids & More – Lexicon – Theopropus elegans

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.

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Other Resources:

Mantids & More – Lexicon – Eremiaphila sp. “India”

Common name(s): African flower mantis, Kenyan flower mantis

Difficulty: Beginner

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 enclosure size by instar:
– 1i-3i: 2oz deli cup (2×2″/5×5cm)
– 4i-6i: 2/5.5oz deli cup (3×3″/8×8cm)
– 7i-adult: 16oz deli cup minimum (4.5×4″/11×10cm)

Humidity: 50-70%, misting every 2-3 days for hydration; they aren’t too picky about humidity

Temperature: 65-75°F (18-24°C)

Feeding:
– 1i-2i: D. melanogaster fruit flies
– 3i-5i: D. hydei fruit flies, house flies, very small roaches/crickets
– 6i-adult: house flies, blue bottle flies, small roaches, small crickets, wax worms/moths, mealworms (as treats only)

Breeding:
Wait around 8-10 days after the last molt for females and a week for males before attempting to breed.
Ooths will hatch in about 6 weeks when kept at the same temperature/humidity as mantises and each hatch around 10-15 nymphs.

Notes: This species grows very fast, often molting every 2 weeks for each instar until adulthood. It isn’t unheard of for them to reach adulthood 8-9 weeks after hatchling

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Other Resources:

Mantid Forum – Galinthias amoena

Mantis Monarch – Galinthias amoena

Difficulty: Intermediate

Size: males up to 2.75” (7cm); females up to 3” (8cm)

Lifespan: males less than 1 year; females around 1 year

Recommended enclosure size by instar:
– 1i-3i: 5.5oz deli cup (3×3″/8×8cm)
– 4i-6i: 16/32oz deli cup (4×4in/10×10cm)
– 7i-adult: Around 8×8×8″ (20×20×20cm) enclosure minimum

Humidity: 50-60%, misting every other day or so for hydration

Temperature: 77-83°F (25-28°C)

Feeding: Flying insects are preferred at every instar, but other feeders like roaches and crickets can be used if they’re accepted
– 1i-2i: D. melanogaster or D. hydei fruit flies
– 3i-5i: D. hydei fruit flies, house flies, small crickets, small roaches
– 6i-adult: blue bottle flies, wax worms/moths, medium crickets, medium roaches, mealworms (as treats only)

Breeding:
Wait about 3 weeks after the final molt for females and 2 weeks for males. It’s best to wait until the female starts calling.
Breeding is best done in a large net cage with high temperatures (85-95°F/30-35°C), with multiple males to a female.
Females typically lay 4-8 ooths, which hatch in approximately 4-6 weeks. Incubate ooths in the same conditions as adults. They hatch on average 50 nymphs each.

Notes: This species may be very sensitive to inbreeding and will often refuse to breed after a few generations of inbreeding.

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Other Resources:

Mantids & More – Lexicon – Pseudovates chlorophaea (formerly Phyllovates chlorophaea)

Mantis Universe – Texas Unicorn Mantis

Mantis Monarch – Pseudovates chlorophaea

Jax Mantis – Pseudovates chlorophaea

Difficulty: Beginner

Size: males up to 3” (7.5cm); females up to 3.5” (9cm)

Lifespan: males up to a year; females up to 1.5 years

Recommended enclosure size by instar:
– 1i-3i: 2/8oz deli cup (2×2″/5×5cm)
– 4i-6i: 5.5/16oz deli cup (3×3″/8×8cm)
– 7i-adult: Minimum around 8×8×8″ (12×12×12cm)

Humidity: 50-70%, mist every other day or so for hydration

Temperature: 77-86°F (25-30°C); can be kept at room temperature but they do better when a little warmer

Feeding:
– 1i-2i: D. melanogaster or D. hydei fruit flies
– 3i-5i: D. hydei fruit flies, house flies, small crickets/roaches
– 6i-adult: blue bottle flies, medium crickets, medium roaches, wax worms/moths, mealworms (as treats only)

Breeding:
Wait until at least 5 weeks after the final molt for the female and at least 3 weeks for the male. It is best to wait until the female begins calling.
Females are extremely aggressive towards the male, and the males will often be very timid when introduced to a female. Feed the female very well before attempting and make sure she is ready. Allow the male to get settled in a net cage before introducing the female, then give food to the female to distract her.
Incubate ooths in the same conditions as the mantises are kept. They can take 6-12 weeks to hatch and hatch 60-100 nymphs.

Notes: As adults, the females can be very aggressive, both to other mantises and humans. Take caution with handling as them grabbing skin with their raptors can be painful, although they are unlikely to break skin

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Other Resources:

Mantids & More – Lexicon – Pnigomantis medioconstricta

Mantid Forum – Pnigomantis medioconstricta

Difficulty: Intermediate

Size: Both sexes up to 2” (5cm)

Lifespan: males up to 10 months; females up to a year

Recommended enclosure size by instar:
– 1i-3i: 5.5oz deli cup (3×3″/8×8cm)
– 4i-6i: 5.5/16oz deli cup (4×4″/10×10cm)
– 7i-adult: 32oz deli cup or similar sized enclosure (4.5×6″/12×15cm)

Humidity: 60-80%, spray daily or every other day for hydration

Temperature: 77-90°F (25-32°C)

Feeding:
– 1i-2i: D. melanogaster or D. hydei fruit flies
– 3i-5i: D. hydei fruit flies, house flies, small crickets, small roaches
– 6i-adult: blue bottle flies, medium crickets, medium roaches, waxworms/moths, mealworms (as treats only)

Breeding:
Wait until around 2 weeks after final molt before breeding, for both sexes. Both sexes are very aggressive in mating. Care should be taken to avoid injury to either individual when mating.
Keep ooths in the same conditions as the mantises. They will typically hatch in about 3-4 weeks.

Note: These mantises must have round sticks around the same diameter of their body. Without these, they tend to act very stressed and restless which may result in mismolts and death.

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Other Resources:

Mantis Universe – Panther Mantis

Jax Mantis – Tarachodula pantherina