Over 2,400 species of predatory insects with big, grasping front legs held folded as if praying. Their closest relatives are termites and cockroaches.
Quick answers
What is it?Insect
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?Sometimes
Mantises are among the insects most commonly kept as pets.
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inWorldwide
HabitatGrassland, Forest, Rainforest, Farmland
ColoursGreen, Brown
SizeTiny
Legs6
Covered inExoskeleton
Lives alone
Lives for1 year
Can fly
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Temperate and tropical habitats worldwide.
- What it eats
- Mostly ambush predators of other insects.
Did you know
Some can turn their heads nearly 180 degrees.
Mantises are sometimes mistaken for stick insects and grasshoppers.
Often confused with
On these lists
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