Mantids (Praying Mantis)

Mantidae is the largest family of the order Mantodea, commonly known as praying mantises; most are tropical or subtropical. Historically, this was the only family in the order, and many references still use the term "mantid" to refer to any mantis. Technically, however, "mantid" refers only to members of the Mantidae family, and not the 14 remaining families of mantises. Some of the most recent classifications have promoted a number of the mantid subfamilies to the rank of family, e.g. Iridopterygidae, Sibyllidae,Tarachodidae, Thespidae, and Toxoderidae, while other classifications have reduced the number of subfamilies without elevating to higher rank.

Many species are found in North America, the three most common being the European Mantis (Mantis religiosa), the Chinese Mantis(Tenodera sinensis), and the Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina). Of these, only the last is native to the continent - the European and Chinese species were introduced in the 20th century as predators in an attempt to control pest populations in gardens.

Many mantises prey on Polybia occidentalis, a swarm founding wasp. As the wasps leave the nest to forage, the mantises will prey on them.

Care Sheets

 * P. wahlbergii (Spiny Flower Mantis)
 * H. cornatus (Malaysian Orchid Mantis)
 * P. Paradoxa (Ghost Mantis)

Growth
Mantis grow by molting through various instars. First instar nymphs that eat less take a longer time to molt to the next instar and are smaller at the 2nd instar than first instar nymphs that have been fed more.

Husbandry
Mantids are a common pet for mantis enthusiasts, and oothecae can be purchased from plant nurseries across the US. They are notable for quickly adapting to the presence of humans. They can become tame enough to perch on one's hand and even be hand-fed.

Care
Mantids should be kept in a terrarium roughly three times its body size. The mantis is an aggressive carnivore that will tackle and eat large insects. In captivity the Chinese mantis' diet can consists primarily of cockroaches, moths, butterflies, grasshoppers, crickets and spiders. During early life (called "instar"), mantids will eat Drosophila melanogaster and similar small flies in captivity. As they grow larger, mantids will accept house flies, blue bottle flies, moths, small roaches and small crickets.

Mantids drink dew from leaves, so a gentle misting every other day is required. In the terrarium, mantids require sticks and other foliage for climbing and molting. Mantids will thrive in temperatures ranging from 20-38°C (68-100°F.)

Genera
This list is extensive for the purpose of completeness, not all genera listed are available in the pet trade for collection. Many of these genera have not been extensively studied and placement of species within is subject to change.

This list is in alphabetical order by genera. It is not sorted by sub-family.


 * Acontista
 * Acromantis - Boxer and Flower Mantids
 * Aethalochroa - Stick Mantids
 * Alalomantis 
 * Amantis
 * Ameles
 * Amorphoscelis
 * Amphecostephanus
 * Anaxarcha
 * Angela
 * Anoplosigerpes
 * Antistia
 * Anasigerpes
 * Apterameles
 * Apteromantis
 * Archimantis - Austrailian Stick Mantids
 * Ariusia
 * Asiadodis - Shield Mantids
 * Astape
 * Astollia
 * Attalia
 * Bactromantis
 * Bantia
 * Bantiella
 * Blepharodes
 * Blepharopsis - Devil's Flower Mantis, Egyptian Flower Mantis, Thistle Mantis
 * Bolbe
 * Bolbula
 * Bolivarosceli
 * s
 * Brunneria
 * Brancsikia
 * Calamothespis
 * Callimantis
 * Carrikerella
 * Catasigerpes
 * Caudatoscelis
 * Ceratocrania
 * Ceratomantis
 * Chaeteessa
 * Chlidonoptera
 * Chloroharpax
 * Choeradodis -  Shield Mantis, Hooded Mantis,  Leaf Mantis
 * Chrysomantis
 * Cilnia
 * Citharomantis
 * Ciulfina
 * Cliomantis
 * Compsomantis
 * Compsothespis
 * Congoharpax
 * Creobroter - Flower Mantis
 * Danuria - Giant Grass Mantis
 * Dactylopteryx
 * Decimiana
 * Deroplatys - Dead Leaf Mantis
 * Diabantia
 * Dilatempusa
 * Dysaules
 * Empusa
 * Epaphrodita
 * Ephestiasula
 * Ephippiomantis
 * Episcopomantis
 * Epsomantis
 * Eremiaphila - Desert Mantis
 * Euantissa
 * Euchomenella - Long Neck Mantis, Twig Mantis
 * Euthyphleps
 * Exparoxypilus
 * Galinthias
 * Gigliotoscelis
 * Gimantis
 * Gonatista
 * Gongylus
 * Gonypetyllis
 * Gyromantis - Bark Mantis
 * Haania
 * Hagiomantis
 * Hapalogymnes
 * Hapalomantis
 * Heliomantis
 * Helvia
 * Hemiempusa
 * Hestiasula 
 * Heteronutarsus
 * Hierodula - Giant Asian Mantis
 * Holaptilon - Jumping Mantis
 * Hoplocoryphella
 * Hoplocorypha - African Stick Mantis
 * Hymenopus - Orchid Mantis
 * Hypsicorypha
 * Idolomantis - Devil Flower Mantis
 * Idolomorpha - Alien Head Mantis
 * Ilomantis
 * Iris
 * Junodia
 * Kongobatha
 * Lagrecacanthops
 * Litaneutria - Ground Mantis
 * Liturgusa
 * Maculatoscelis
 * Macromantis
 * Majanga
 * Majangella 
 * Mantillica
 * Mantis
 * Mantoida
 * Mesopteryx
 * Metacromantis
 * Metagalepsus
 * Metallyticus
 * Metilia
 * Metoxypilus
 * Mimomantis
 * Miomantis
 * Miracanthops
 * Myrmecomantis - Ant Mantis
 * Nanomantis
 * Negromantis
 * Nemotha
 * Neomantis
 * Nesogalepsus
 * Nesoxypilus
 * Nilomantis
 * Odontomantis - Ant Mantis
 * Oligomantis
 * Oligonicella
 * Oligonyx
 * Orthodera
 * Otomantis - Boxer Mantis
 * Oxyelaea
 * Oxyophthalma
 * Oxyophthalmellus
 * Oxyopsis 
 * Oxyothespis - Grass Mantis
 * Oxypiloidea
 * Oxypilus - Boxer Mantis
 * Pachymantis
 * Panurgica
 * Papubolbe
 * Papugalepsus
 * Parablepharis
 * Paramantis
 * Paramorphoscelis
 * Parasphendale - Budwing Mantis
 * Parahestiasula
 * Parastagmatoptera
 * Paratoxodera - Stick Mantis
 * Paroxyophthalmus
 * Paramorphoscelis
 * Paratithrone
 * Paraoxypilus
 * Pareuthyphlebs
 * Parymenopus - Yellow Flower Mantis
 * Perlamantis
 * Pezomantis
 * Phasmomantis
 * Phthersigena
 * Phyllocrania - Ghost Mantis
 * Phyllovates - Unicorn Mantis
 * Pnigomantis - Double Shield Mantis
 * Pogonogaster
 * Polyspilota
 * Popa - Twig Mantis
 * Pseudacanthops
 * Pseudempusa - Peacock Mantis
 * Pseudocreobotra - Spiny Flower Mantis
 * Pseudoharpax - Spotted Eye Flower Mantis
 * Pseudomantis
 * Pseudomusonia
 * Pseudopogonogaster
 * Pseudovates - Unicorn Mantis, Stick Mantis
 * Pseudoyersinia
 * Psychomantis
 * Pyrgomantis
 * Raptrix
 * Rhomantis
 * Rhombodera - Giant Shield Mantis
 * Rivetina - Ground Mantis
 * Sceptuchus
 * Sphodromantis - African Mantis
 * Sphodropoda
 * Stagmatoptera
 * Stagmomantis
 * Statilia
 * Stenophylla
 * Sibylla
 * Tamolanica - Shield Mantis
 * Taumantis
 * Tarachina
 * Tarachodes - Bark Mantis, Ground Mantis
 * Tenodera
 * Theopompa - Asian Bark Mantis
 * Theopropus - Flower Mantis, Boxer Mantis
 * Thesprotia - American Grass Mantis
 * Thesprotiella
 * Thrinaconyx
 * Tithrone
 * Tropidomantis
 * Toxodera
 * Toxoderopsis
 * Toxomantis
 * Vates
 * Yersiniops - Ground Mantis
 * Zoolea - Unicorn Mantis