Stats

Lifespan

Up to 1 yr

Size

Large

Diet

Insectivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Temperate grassland

Range

Europe Asia Africa

Movement

Walking

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Common

About

A slender ambush predator famous for the prayer-like pose of its spined raptorial forelegs. It is one of the few insects that can swivel its triangular head a full 180 degrees to track prey.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →
• Watch on YouTube →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Mantodea

Family

Mantidae

Genus

Mantis

Species

Mantis religiosa