Best Praying Mantis for Beginners

So you’ve decided that a praying mantis is the right pet for you. You’re excited about the possibility of keeping one of these incredible natural predators, watching them hunting their prey from the comfort of your own home. But where do you start, and what are the best praying mantis for beginners? What Are The …

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Can Praying Mantis Eat Wax Worms?

Can Praying Mantis Eat Wax Worms?

Praying mantis can eat wax worms. They’re fat, juicy and usually very well received. While they’re not my number one recommended prey item, I believe they can represent a useful addition to your mantid’s diet.  Benefits of Wax Worms for Praying Mantis Possibly my favorite thing about wax worms is that they normally stay fresh …

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Can Praying Mantis Grow Back Limbs?

Can Praying Mantis Grow Back Limbs?

Praying mantis can grow back limbs, but this only happens when they change their skin.  Essentially a praying mantis that has lost one or more limbs will continue to look the same for some weeks or months after the accident. However, deep inside, the praying mantis is trying to regrow the limb.  When your praying …

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Can Praying Mantis Lay Eggs Without Mating?

Can Praying Mantis Lay Eggs Without Mating?

Female praying mantis can lay eggs without mating. This can have a number of impacts, particularly if you’re keeping them as pets.  The crucial thing to realize here is that while an unmated female praying mantis may lay eggs, they will be infertile. Praying mantis, apart from a small number of more unusual species, are …

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Do Praying Mantis Fly? Can Praying Mantis Fly?

Adult praying mantis can fly. They develop wings in their final moult when reaching adulthood, at which point they are able to fly. That said, praying mantis are quite clumsy in flight, and tend not to fly long distances.  Do Both Male and Female Praying Mantis Fly? Both male and female praying mantis are capable …

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Can Two Praying Mantis Live Together?

Generally speaking praying mantis are solitary insects. The vast majority of praying mantis are not just carnivores, they are also cannibals. This means that attempting to keep two more praying mantis together tend to end in tears – and in one fat mantis.  While there are a few exceptions it is safest to assume that …

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Do Praying Mantis Have Venom?

It is well-known that many carnivorous animals have venom. Spiders and scorpions would be two great examples. So do praying mantis have venom too? No, praying mantis do not have venom. They do not kill their prey before eating it. Instead their prey dies only when the mantis has consumed so much that it can …

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Why Are Praying Mantis Different Colors?

Praying mantis come in a surprising range of different colors. Even within a single species you may find different colors in a single population.  The most common colors are green or brown, sometimes with pale straw-like specimens being seen.  So the obvious question is why are praying mantis different colors? The short answer is due …

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Do Praying Mantis Shed Their Skin?

Praying mantis regularly shed their skin. A baby praying mantis will through a number of moults, getting larger at each shed, until it reaches adult size. Adult praying mantis do not shed their skins after reaching maturity.  When praying mantis are kept as pets it is crucial to support this delicate process. Praying mantis must …

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Do Praying Mantis Spit?

Praying mantis do not spit. So long as you remain out of arm’s reach then praying mantis are perfectly safe and will do you no harm. You can approach the mantis without fear, and look quite closely, without being at any risk. Can a Praying Mantis Spit Poison? There are many myths that surround praying …

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Can You Hold a Praying Mantis?

The alien-like appearance of praying mantis, and their ability to sit motionless for hours on end, has resulted in all manner of myths and legends surrounding them. Many of these relate to how praying mantis are dangerous, or even deadly.  One of the most common questions asked is therefore “can you hold a praying mantis?” …

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What Do Praying Mantis Eat?

Praying mantis are carnivorous insects, which means that they catch and eat other animals to survive.  The specific foods that praying mantis eat depend on the size of the mantis and the availability of food. The most common foods eaten by praying mantis are invertebrates such as flies, grasshoppers, crickets, butterflies and even some beetles.  …

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