Praying mantid fact sheet | Field of Mars EEC

What are praying mantids?

Praying mantids are insects in the order Mantodea. They are predators with a long body, a triangular head, large compound eyes and powerful front legs adapted for grasping prey. Australia has more than 100 described species of mantids, and they are found in habitats and ecosystems across the country.

A praying mantid.

A false garden mantid hunts in dry grass, stems and leaf litter.

Where do praying mantids live?

Praying mantids are found across Australia, from dry inland areas to the tropics. They live in a wide range of ecosystems and are often found on vegetation such as flowers, shrubs, grasses and tree trunks. Some species also live or hunt on the ground. At Field of Mars Reserve, likely mantid habitat includes shrubs, grasses, tree trunks, leaf litter and other vegetated bushland areas.

Bushland and creekside vegetation can provide habitat for praying mantids.

What do praying mantids eat?

Praying mantids are carnivores. Nymphs and adults eat a wide variety of arthropods, especially insects. They usually wait in ambush or slowly stalk prey, then seize it with their spiny front legs. Large mantids have also been recorded feeding on small frogs, lizards and fledgling birds, but most mantids mainly catch smaller invertebrates.

Praying mantids are ambush predators that grab prey with their front legs.

What is the life cycle of a praying mantid?

After mating, female mantids lay 10 to 400 eggs, depending on the species. The eggs are surrounded by a frothy substance that hardens into an egg case called an ootheca. Oothecae may be attached to grass stems, branches, tree trunks, logs, fences or walls, and some species place them beneath rocks or wood. When the eggs hatch, the young are called nymphs. Nymphs look like small wingless adults and grow by moulting several times before becoming adults, so mantids undergo incomplete metamorphosis. In cooler areas they may take up to a year to mature, while in warmer regions there may be up to two generations in a year.

Praying mantid eggs are laid in a foamy egg case called an ootheca.

What adaptations do praying mantids have to help them survive?

Praying mantids have several adaptations that help them survive. Their shape and colour often help them blend in with leaves, bark, twigs or flowers. Many stay motionless for long periods, making them difficult for predators and prey to spot. Their large eyes and mobile head help them detect movement and judge distance. Their front legs are lined with sharp spines and snap forward to catch prey. When disturbed, some mantids may stay still, run out of sight, display warning colours or release unpleasant odours.

Brown body colours can help some praying mantids blend into bark, branches and dry vegetation.

Garden mantids have large compound eyes that help them hunt.

Why are praying mantids important?

Praying mantids are important because they are predators that eat other animals, especially insects and other arthropods. In gardens and bushland, beneficial predatory invertebrates help keep some insect populations in balance. Like other insects, praying mantids are also part of the food web and biodiversity of healthy ecosystems.

Praying mantids are important predators in gardens and bushland.

How can you help praying mantids?

You can help praying mantids by creating insect-friendly habitat. Plant a mix of native plants, shrubs and flowering plants, and keep parts of the garden rich in vegetation so insects have places to shelter and hunt. Avoid or minimise insecticide and pesticide sprays where possible, because these chemicals can harm beneficial insects as well as pests. Creating backyard habitat for wildlife and protecting biodiversity can help support praying mantids and many other small animals.

Wildlife-friendly gardens can provide shelter and hunting places for praying mantids.

Related fact sheets

More invertebrate fact sheets

• Invertebrate fact sheets – overview
• Insects fact sheet – explains the main features of insects and how praying mantids fit into this group.
• Common garden katydid fact sheet – another camouflaged insect found on vegetation.
• Green lacewing fact sheet – another predatory insect found in gardens and bushland.

Habitats and ecosystems

• Leaf litter habitats fact sheet – some mantids hunt on or near the ground.
• Ground cover habitats fact sheet – grasses and low plants can provide cover for small animals.
• Shrub habitats fact sheet – shrubs provide shelter, camouflage and hunting places for invertebrates.
• Tree habitats fact sheet – bark, branches and canopy provide resting and hunting sites.
• Eucalypt forest fact sheet – explains the local bushland context.
• Field of Mars Reserve fact sheet – explains the local reserve and habitat diversity.

Food webs and ecological relationships

• Fly fact sheet – many mantids prey on flies and other insects.
• Cricket fact sheet – crickets are among the kinds of insects mantids may hunt.
• Grasshopper fact sheet – mantids may also catch larger insects such as grasshoppers.

Learn with us

Learning programs

Explore incursions and excursions about insect adaptations, habitats and food webs.

Learning resources

Find classroom activities about insects, camouflage, life cycles and native invertebrates.

Flora and fauna fact sheets

Learn more about other insects, spiders and animals that share Sydney bushland habitats.