Stats

Lifespan: Up to 1 yr
Size: Medium
Diet: Insectivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Solitary
Biome: Temperate grassland
Range: North America
Movement: Walking
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Camouflage
Status: Common

About

The Carolina Mantis is a native North American praying mantis reaching about 6 cm in length, with cryptic grey-brown or green mottled coloring that makes it nearly invisible against bark and foliage. Females are flightless, their short patterned wings covering only half the abdomen — a quick way to tell the sexes apart.

Life cycle

1.
egg
A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2.
juvenile
An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3.
subadult
A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4.
adult
Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

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