Quick Facts...
- Mantids are large, distinctive insects that feed on other insects,
including some pests.
- The most commonly encountered mantids, the European mantid and Chinese
mantid, are introduced species. Native mantids are common in the eastern
plains and southern areas of the state.
- The Chinese mantid is commonly sold through nurseries and garden catalogs.
Few, if any, survive winters in Colorado.
Mantids are some of the most distinctive and well-recognized of all the
insect groups. The most striking feature about mantids is the grasping
front legs which are well-designed for grabbing and holding prey. The
prothorax of mantids is very elongated to support these prominent forelegs.
Mantids also have the remarkable ability to easily turn their triangular
heads in order to see in all directions. Most mantids produce winged adult
stages and the males frequently fly.
All mantids are predators feeding on various insects, including some
pest species. At least six species of mantids are found in Colorado (Table
1).
General Life History
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Carolina Mantid
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European mantid egg case.
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Mantids survive winter as eggs. The eggs are laid in masses, sometimes
including hundreds of eggs. These egg masses, known as oothecae are often
insulated with a foamy material that gives them the appearance of a “packing
peanut.” They are attached to solid surfaces such as rocks, buildings,
and dried plant stems.
Eggs hatch in late spring (or earlier if kept in the warmth of a building).
The small, young mantids feed on gnats and other insects, sometimes cannibalizing
other mantids emerging from the same egg mass. As they grow, they are
capable of capturing increasingly larger prey including grasshoppers,
large flies, and bees.
Following several molts, development is complete by late-summer and the
adults are present. Adult males are smaller and more slender than females.
Among winged species, males are much more likely to fly; females are incapable
of flying once they begin to swell with eggs.
During mating it is sometimes reported that the female eats the male.
This does occasionally happen and the male may even continue to mate more
vigorously after decapitation. However, this cannibalistic behavior occurs
infrequently and usually only if the female is starved.
Mantids for Biological Control
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Chinese mantid.
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Mantid nymph.
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Egg cases of the Chinese mantid are commonly sold for control of garden
pests. Although release of eggs may result in several of these statuesque
predators developing within the garden, little pest management benefit
can be expected.
There are several reasons why little pest management benefit can be expected.
The first is related to their non-selective feeding habits because essentially
any moving arthropod of the right size is suitable prey. Although this
may include an occasional grasshopper or other pest insect, most of what
mantids feed on are various flies, gnats, bees, and other non-injurious
species. Secondly, since mantids only have a single generation each year
they can not sufficiently increase in numbers if a pest insect outbreak
occurs. Finally, the Chinese mantid arely, if ever, successfully survives
our cold, dry winters in Colorado.
Rearing Mantids
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Ground mantid..
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European mantid, brown form..
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Egg cases of the Chinese mantid are commonly sold via mail order and
the young can be reared easily. However, they should be kept in separate
containers because of their cannibalistic habits. Small active insects,
such as leafhoppers and fruit flies, are suitable to feed the younger
mantids. Midges and other small flies that gather around porch lights
are another good source of food for the newly emerged mantids. As they
get older larger foods such as grasshoppers or crickets can be used. Mantids
do need some additional water, which can be provided by misting the inner
surface of the rearing container once a week.
If fertilized adult females are being reared, provide a stick or rock
on which to lay the egg case. When overwintering egg cases, they do require
a cold period and are best stored in a cold, protected site such as in
outbuildings or on the north side of homes.
| Table 1: Mantids found in Colorado. |
| Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Comments |
| European mantid |
Mantis religiosa |
The most commonly encountered mantid. The European mantid
is “the” praying mantid, a European native that is now well
established in much of Colorado. These are quite large insects, exceeding
three inches when full grown, and come in either green or brown forms.
A characteristic “bull’s- eye” under the fore leg is
useful for distinguishing this species. They are somewhat marginally
adapted to Colorado conditions and tend to be most abundant following
mild winters. |
| Chinese mantid |
Tenodera aridifolia sinensis |
The largest mantid, reaching over four inches when full
grown. These are brown, with green or yellow stripes along the side
of the wings. The Chinese mantid is widely sold through garden catalogs
and some garden centers. However, few, if any survive winters in Colorado. |
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Carolina mantid
California mantid
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Stigmomantis carolina
Stigmomantis californica
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These are two closely related species found primarily
in the warmer, southern areas of the state. The California mantid
predominates west of the Continental Divide; the Carolina mantid to
the east. They are slightly smaller than the European mantid, are
green and tend to have short wing covers that fail to cover the tip
of the abdomen. |
| Ground mantids |
Litaneutria minor Yersiniops solitarium |
The smallest mantids, rarely exceeding 1.5 inches in
length. Native to the shortgrass prairies of eastern Colorado they
can most often be found running and jumping across rocks and soil,
their gray-brown coloration blending well with the background. Life
history of ground mantids is generally similar to that of other mantids,
although some may produce a second generation. All females, and most
males, are flightless. |
Mantis or Mantid?
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European mantid, green form adult..
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The terms mantid and mantis are often used interchangeably. Technically,
Mantis is properly applied to a genus of mantids, the most widely recognized
being “the” praying mantid, Mantis religiosa. Mantid is the
best term applied to members of this order, Mantodea.
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| Chinese mantid egg case. |
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