9 Truly Magnificent Mantises

We present to you our choice of 9 Truly Magnificent Mantises. The mantis, or praying mantis, as it is known to many, ranks as one of the supreme predators in the insect world. Yet this amazing creature, in many instances, also ranks as among the most beautiful. In it, Nature has combined the efficiency of a supreme hunter with grace and elegance. We hope you enjoy the article.

Brunner’s Mantis

Brunner’s Mantis Facts

• The fascinating Brunner’s Mantis or Brunneria borealis forms a most unusual and also very rare variety of mantis.
• It also remains quite well known for its rather thin body, which causes it to closely resemble a small stick or branch.
• However, entomologists did not recognize this amazing invertebrate as a separate species of its own until 1986.
• Further, this amazing creature also ranks as the only known insect that reproduces entirely without males.

Brunner’s Mantis Physical Description

Firstly, its highly elongated body serves as the most easily recognizable physical characteristic of the Brunner’s Mantis, at least visually.

While wild adults generally attain an average length of 3.5 in (8.9 cm), those grown in captivity often reach a length of 5 in (12.7 cm).

However, despite its undeniably great size, the wings of the adults typically remain too short to allow it to fly.

Also, the coloring usually consists of light green, although small streaks of light brown occasionally appear. Along with its body shape, this also provides excellent natural camouflage.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Mantodea
• Family: Mantidae
• Genus: Brunneria
• Species: B. borealis

Brunner’s Mantis Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

Firstly, the astonishing Brunner’s Mantis only appears natively in the southern United States, in North America. Within that range, it also appears in Texas, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

Its preferred habitat typically consists of tall grasses and small trees. Here, its natural camouflage provides it with the best protection from its own predators, most commonly birds.

The remarkable Brunner’s Mantis also holds a unique distinction. It reproduces entirely asexually, through parthenogenesis. No males of the species exist. This mantis also represents the only known insect on earth of which this appears true. 

Like all mantises, it remains a pure carnivore. Its diet consists of a rather wide variety of local insects, including those as relatively large as grasshoppers. Also like other mantises, it hunts primarily as an ambush predator.

Brown Mantis

Brown Mantis Facts

• The Large Brown Mantis has several subspecies, and one of them is the Stick Mantis Ghost from Bundaberg’s Turtle Sands.
  
• The Stick Mantis Ghosts are also generally not quite as aggressive as the original species.
  
• Yet, it has a defense display which makes the Mantis appear larger by flinging its front legs into the air and putting its head down along with its antennae.
  
• Further, the subspecies from Bundaberg is a pale creamy white with a yellow and black eye in between the arms, instead of brown.
• That variety measures about one and a half times the size of the original species.

Brown Mantis Physical Description

The highly aggressive Brown Mantis averages roughly 4 in (10 cm) in length. However, sexual dimorphism exists within the species, in several ways.

In addition, the males remain capable of flight, but the females do not. The male of the species develops rather smaller than the female, reaching about 3.9 in (10 cm) in length. Yet the female measures about 4.5 in (11 cm) in length. 

The Brown Mantis female also remains short-winged. Her pair of wings reach only half her abdomen and she is not able to fly. The long-winged male also has wings that cover the entire abdomen.

The wings have four sets of wings and wing covers. The top set is the covers and the bottom wings enable the mantis to fly.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Mantodea
• Family: Mantidae
• Genus: Archimantis
• Species: A. latistyla

Brown Mantis Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The truly impressive Brown Mantis evolved as indigenous to Australia. Within that range, it also inhabits a variety of habitats. However, it most commonly inhabits areas of grasslands.

Also, like all mantids, it remains a carnivore. It ranks as especially aggressive, even among other mantids.

It will attack prey much larger than itself, including birds, frogs, lizards, and even fish.

This invertebrate also frequently engages in cannibalistic behavior when other prey becomes scarce. It will also not hesitate to attack humans in a defensive manner if disturbed.

Aside from these limited facts, however, few specific details are certain about this insect.

Gambian Spotted-Eye Flower Mantis Facts

• Firstly, the Gambian Spotted-Eye Flower Mantis takes its name from two eyespots on the dorsal side of the abdomen of adult females.
  
• This species also ranks as less aggressive than most species of mantis, except during feeding when it becomes merciless.
  
• Rather uniquely, its eyes actually change color from day to night. At night they are dark red but during the day they are light green.
  
• Although it inhabits a somewhat limited range, its numbers remain sufficient enough to hold no current listing on the IUCN Red List.

Gambian Spotted-Eye Flower Mantis Physical Description

Although stunning, the Gambian Spotted-Eye Flower Mantis remains much smaller than most species of mantis.

At most, individuals attain a length of about 1.2 inches (3 cm). Due to the reproductive intensity, the females are generally slightly longer and heavier than the males.

Displaying sexual dimorphism, females also have shorter antennae, while males have long and red antennae. 

Females also have two dots on the abdomen as adults, while males, whose abdomens are thin, and covered completely by the wings when looked at from above, appear to have none.

Its camouflage has evolved to mimic flowers and the insect is very successful at being inconspicuous. The color is primarily white, and the wings are green.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Mantodea
• Family: Hymenopodidae
• Genus: Pseudoharpax
• Species: P. virescens

Gambian Spotted-Eye Flower Mantis Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The rather stunning Gambian Spotted-Eye Flower Mantis is a species of praying mantis endemic to Central, East and West Africa.

This arthropod can live together with limited cannibalism, sometimes without it when a reliable food source is present.

Individuals become very fast and skittish when young, but when older, they become rather calm, compared to related species.

Adult males are skittish and strong fliers. These will sway sideways in the wind to imitate foliage and they move the antennae back and forth very fast while moving around.

The creature also evolved as aggressive predators, with adult females willing to tackle prey as large as themselves.

Males are much more timid in nature, so they need smaller prey items than females will take.

The Gambian Spotted-Eye Flower Mantis is also an insect that breeds very rapidly. The female usually lays a mass of eggs every 3-4 days during the mating season.

Orchid Mantis

Orchid Mantis Facts

• The Orchid Mantis or Hymenopus coronatus is a creature which combines the qualities of unique beauty with that of the deadly efficiency of a predator.
• This insect remains rather popular for its brilliant coloring and a structure finely adapted for camouflage, mimicking parts of the orchid flower.
• The four walking legs also resemble flower petals, the toothed front pair is used as in other mantises for grasping prey.
• This rather remarkable invertebrate can change its color between pink and brown, according to the color of the background.

Orchid Mantis Physical Description

The gorgeous Orchid Mantis, like its namesake flower, truly constitutes one of the most beautiful, and undeniably deadly to its prey, insects on earth.

Further, the brilliant coloring, which can change at will, from brown to pink, and various shades in between, also provides it with excellent camouflage.

Its body shape also provides the same effect, given that its four walking legs strongly resemble the petals or an orchid.

This species also displays an extreme degree of sexual dimorphism. In addition, females attain an average length of 2.4 in (6 cm), while males only reach about half that.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Mantodea
• Family: Hymenopodidae
• Genus: Hymenopus
• Species: H. coronatus

Orchid Mantis Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The supremely effective Orchid Mantis evolved as native to the rainforests of Malaysia and Indonesia, in Asia. Though primarily carnivorous, it also likes to nibble on bananas.

Scientists suspect this feeding behavior indicates a need for the potassium. Furthermore, the species will eat any small creature it can catch, except venomous insects.

Like other mantises, it also prefers to lay in wait for its prey among the tropical flowers and trees.

It also requires only a small space and eats flying insects which it hunts by just sitting and waiting.

Devils Flower Mantis

Devils Flower Mantis Facts

• Firstly, the amazing Devil’s Flower Mantis remains one of the largest of all the roughly 2,400 known praying mantis varieties.
• Also, of those mantises that mimic flowers, this rather impressive species actually represents the largest known.
• In addition, the remarkable and relatively large insect is the only species classified under the genus Idolomantis. 
• Rather sadly, its very distinctiveness makes it extremely popular in the exotic pet industry, especially in the Western Hemisphere.
• However, the IUCN does not have a listing for it at this time, as its numbers appear stable in the wild, for the moment.

Devils Flower Mantis Physical Description

Firstly, it should be noted that the magnificent Devils Flower Mantis, like many related species, displays sexual dimorphism.

For example, the larger females can grow to about 5 in (13 cm) in length. However, the smaller males only reach a length of about 4 in (10 cm).  

In color, the insect typically shows either a rather dull light brown, or combinations of green shades, depending on location, for camouflage.

However, when threatened, it opens its wings, which show combinations of white, red, purple, blue, and black colors.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Mantodea
• Family: Empusidae
• Genus: Idolomantis
• Species: I. diabolica

Devils Flower Mantis Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The stunning and amazing Devils Flower Mantis also evolved as native to Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda, in Africa.

Like other mantises, it also feeds strictly as a carnivore. In addition, this particular species usually prefers airborne insects.

This usually consists principally of various species of moths, flies, beetles, and butterflies, native to its particular region.

As with most other species of mantis, the practice of sexual cannibalism also remains prominent among this species.

After mating, the females deposit eggs in an ootheca which typically will hold up to 50 nymphs.

Malaysian Dead Leaf Mantis

Malaysian Dead Leaf mantis Facts

• Next up among these choices for inclusion in this article about 9 Truly Magnificent Mantises comes the masterpiece named the Malaysian Dead Leaf Mantis.
• The most frequently used common name for this marvel of Nature and evolution perfectly sums up its remarkable nature. It’s also, however, sometimes referred to by another term, that of the somewhat misleading term of the giant dead leaf mantis.
• Professional researchers, though, typically refer to it by its formal scientific name. That term, however, like many such technical names, remains somewhat hard to pronounce. That’s because professionals refer to the insect by the term Deroplatys desiccata.
• Regardless of what one chooses to call it, it’s a fascinating and captivating creature. The alternate common name, though, is slightly misleading. That, however, isn’t at all unusual, as common names frequently give a false impression of the species.
• Though larger than some of its kind, it’s by no means a giant among its roughly 1,800 known related species, overall. It does qualify as a giant, in a way, though. That’s because it attains a somewhat larger size than any other leaf mantis, specifically.
• The highly respected English entomologist, as well as archaeologist, John Obadiah Westwood, made the first recorded recognition of it as a separate and distinct species. This scientifically noteworthy achievement he accomplished in the year 1839.
• Fortunately, its population base appears to be both sizeable and stable. This situation further appears to hold true throughout the entirety of its native range. Unfortunately, it’s also become quite popular among those who keep insects in captivity.
• Due to these facts, the IUCN presently has no listing for the Malaysian Dead Leaf Mantis on its Red List. In the wild, it nevertheless faces several potential threats. Habitat loss poses an potential danger to it, along with the effects of climate change.

Malaysian Dead Leaf Mantis Physical Description

Like virtually all of its many relatives, the magnificent Malaysian Dead Leaf Mantis ranks as a master of camouflage. In its specific case, its own name gives an indication its approach. That’s due to the fact that, when it wishes, it closely resembles a dead, dry leaf.

Like many insects of all kinds, it also displays the physiological characteristic of sexual dimorphism. In its case, this trait manifests itself in terms of sheer physical size. The overall size difference between the two genders, however, remains comparatively minor.

More precisely, the females, again, like many of its relatives, attains a greater length than the male of the species. Mature females reach an average length of 3 – 3.1 in (7.5 – 8 cm). Males, meanwhile, grow to a body length that averages roughly 2.6 – 2.8 in (6.5 – 7 cm).

Otherwise, the two sexes displays virtually identical patterns of coloring, with only slight variations among individuals. Those patterns, though, include a very respectable range of colors. These run from nearly black, to shades of brown, to an orange-brown hue.

The highly extended thorax possesses an extremely flattened shape. It also manifests intricate patterns, like the veins on a leaf, on the upper surface of its wings. The underside, however, has a mainly black background, with a large eye-like spot on each wing.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Mantodea
• Family: Deroplatyidae
• Genus: Deroplatys
• Species: D. dessicata

Malaysian Dead Leaf Mantis Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The mesmerizing Malysian Dead Leaf Mantis inhabits a moderately expansive part of the world. This range consists of the region generally known as southeast Asia. More specifically, it’s known to live in Sumatra, the Philippines, Borneo, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Within that range, though, it fortunately seems to be moderately adapable in terms of its habitat requirements. That’s due to the fact that specimens appear in regions of both tropical forest and scrubland. For now, no evidence that it ever lived elsewhere exists.

It’s also supremely adapted for the environment in which it lives. Its coloring, as well as its body shape and design, provides it with excellent natural camouflage. The insect even appears to sway in the breeze, mimicking the movements of a dried up leaf.

This learned behavioral pattern serves the amazing arthropod well in its typical habitat range, offering it a certain measure of protection from its own predators. Those include the usual species, such as tree climbing lizards, snakes, and birds, among others.

Like its numerous relatives, the Malaysian Dead Leaf Mantis evolved as a carnivore. Also like them, it’s a master hunter, preferring to hunt as an ambush predator. It feeds opportunistically, consuming virtually any prey of sufficient size, most especially moths.

Ghost Mantis

Ghost Mantis Facts

• Even among the many related species, the remarkable Ghost Mantis stands out for its mastery of camouflage.
• However, fortunately for it, this rather impressive creature currently inhabits a moderately wide range of the earth.
• Yet, regardless of its great impressiveness, it also ranks as a smaller than average representative of its genus.
• Sadly, however, its very distinctiveness for these reasons also makes it one of the most popular mantises in captivity.

Ghost Mantises Physical Description

The body shape of the Ghost Mantis has also evolved to blend in with its environment. Indeed, it looks rather like dry, withered branches or leaves on bushes and trees. Phyllocrania paradoxa has incredible camouflage so as to appear as dead, dried-up leaf material.

The head is also elongated, the prothorax is long and the limbs have leaf-like protrusions. The body only reaches about 2 in (5 cm) in length.

The Ghost Mantis also has a forewing that looks like a dry leaf, and the creases in the wings are actually shadings of pigment.

This insect is most commonly a dark brown but can be a lighter shade of brown, sand-color, or even green.

It also displays a moderate degree of sexual dimorphismm, with females being slightly larger in size than males.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Mantodea
• Family: Hymenopopidae
• Genus: Phyllocrania
• Species: P. paradoxa

Ghost Mantis Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The Ghost Mantis or Phyllocrania paradoxa is a mantis species native to a rather wide range of Africa, including Madagascar.

The insect primarily inhabits regions such as bushes, shrubs, trees, and many similar areas, as long as these remain dry.

Its extraordinary camouflage not only serves to surprise its prey but to evade its own predators as well.

Like all mantises, it feeds entirely as a carnivore. For this, it also remains extremely effective, due to its camouflage.

Chinese Mantis

Chinese Mantis Facts

• This specific variety of mantis goes by the simple common name of the Chinese Mantis. For the moment, the creature has no other accepted general names, unlike many of its kindred. The particular term, however, remains somewhat deceptive in nature.
• The official scientific name for the arthropod, though, is somewhat hard to pronounce. That’s because it goes by the technical term of Tenodera sinensis. Regardless of the term one chooses to use, it represents yet another magnificent form of mantid.
• The first known formal recognition of this marvelous invertebrate as a separate and distinct species occurred in 1871. This further took place as a direct result of the body of work of the esteemed French entomologist, Henri Louis Frédéric de Saussure.
• Fortunately, the Chinese Mantis appears to be maintaining a population base that’s both stable and sufficient. This trend also seems to hold true throughout the entirety of its natural range. The IUCN, therefore, presently has no listing for it on its Red List.
• The fabulous insect nevertheless must be facing at least some dangers. Habitat loss, for one, remains at threat to its wild population, though it’s also sold in the pet trade. The danger of climate change, however, likely poses the greatest threat to its existence.

Chinese Mantis Physical Description

The fantastic Chinese Mantis, like its many kin, is an intriguing and impressive creation of evolution. Unlike many other insects, though, this species does not display any noticeable degree of the physiological characteristic on sexual dimorphism.

The genders, therefore, can be quite difficult for the untrained eye to tell apart. That’s true both in terms of appearance and size. In its particular case, it’s especially captivating for its sheer size, however. That’s because it ranks as one the largest known mantids.

Mature adults, more specifically, sometimes reach lengths of as much as 5 in (12.7 cm). The overall body shape, though, remains quite slender, like others of its kind. Its head further displays the triangular shape and over-large eyes so common to mantises.

The general color pattern of the Chinese Mantis also varies significantly between individuals. This usually consists of various shades of light green and tan, however. Many further display a darker green stripe, that extends across most of the sides of the arthropod.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Mantodea
• Family: Mantidae
• Genus: Tenodera
• Species: T. sinensis

Chinese Mantis Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The stunning Chinese Mantis, fortunately, occupies a moderately large portion of the globe. More precisely, the invertebrate evolved as native to a specific portion of Asia. The marvel of Nature also appears in small populations on nearby islands, as well.

The range it naturally occupies mainly includes the regions of China, Japan, Thailand, Micronesia, and the Korean Peninsula. In 1896, however, a worker in a nursery accidentally introduced this invertebrate into the United States, in North America.

Wherever the insect appears, though, it displays specific preferences in the basic nature of its choice of habitat. That’s due to the fact that it appears almost solely in temperate regions. This mainly includes forest, but sometimes includes parks and even yards.

Like other mantids, the captivating Chinese Mantis evolved as carnivorous in nature. It generally feeds opportunistically, and as an ambush predator, like its kindred. Its prey mainly includes small insects such as spiders, grasshoppers, bees, and katydids.

Its relatively great size, however sets it apart from others in yet another manner. Due to this advantage, it sometimes captures and consumes larger prey. Adult females, in fact, sometimes catch prey such as small amphibians, reptiles, and even hummingbirds.

In the wild, sexual cannibalism seems to be especially prevalent in this species. In fact, nearly 50% of all matings end in this. Its own natural predators, meanwhile, consist of such species as numerous birds, other mantises, and the Asian Giant Hornet.

Carolina Mantis

Carolina Mantis Facts

• Firstly, the Carolina Mantis ranks as such an efficient hunter that it often gets sold as a form of biological control agent.
• Secondly, this particular invertebrate evolved as a particularly voracious predator, even among related species.
• As a consequence of its extreme appetite, individuals of this species routinely consume great numbers of small insects.
• Even among other mantises, this astounding creature stands out for its rather insatiable appetite.
• Additionally, this form of mantis will not hesitate to engage in cannibalism at any time if no other prey is unavailable.

Carolina Mantis Physical Description

For all its aggressiveness, the Carolina Mantis nevertheless remains an average sized species of mantis.

Due to this rather surprising fact most individuals typically attain an average adult length of only about 2.4 in (6 cm).

The coloring also varies by individual but generally will consist of combinations of green, gray, or tan.

Further, the Carolina Mantis has the ability to adjust its colors at will as nymphs, to provide the best possible camouflage for the particular environment.

This fascinating insect does not display any particular degree of sexual dimorphism.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Mantodea
• Family: Mantidae
• Genus: Stagmomantis
• Species: S. carolina

Carolina Mantis Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

This species inhabits a rather wide range of habitats throughout North America,, Central America, and South America.

It also remains a master of adaptive camouflagee, blending in easily with its particular habitat, which varies widely.

Its amazing adeptness at this ranks so high that sometimes its prey will actually land on them, mistaking it for part of the habitat.

Like many related creatures, the females do engage in sexual cannibalism, however, in about 25% of all matings.

9 Truly Magnificent Mantises

We hope you have enjoyed this article on 9 Truly Magnificent Mantises. Of course, the more than 2,400 other known mantis species are all magnificent, as well. Nature has forged an incredible hunter in the mantises, regardless of where they occur. They fill a highly important ecological niche, and deserve to be protected and preserved.

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