# Why do Praying Mantis vary so much in color?



## bugmankeith (Jun 17, 2011)

I knew these guys came in green,brown, or gray, i've seen them frequently. But while searching on Google I came across many photos of them in various colors/shades. What causes the variation in color?

brick red- http://livemantis.com/mantisreligiosared.jpg
yellow- http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3650/3327744960_c548eaaacc.jpg
purpleish- http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3184/2908337849_e2bc28313f.jpg
pink- http://static.artfire.com/admin/pro...30000--4126_product_555892507_thumb_large.jpg
white- http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2556/3886435142_ec6b2a671c.jpg


----------



## 1Lord Of Ants1 (Jun 17, 2011)

Two (Or three) different species there.


----------



## skar (Jun 17, 2011)

I assume just like everything- there is pigment variation and camouflage. I don't think they are all geographically from the same parts of the world either. 
I want a mantid but they only live about a year....


----------



## Xanthopus (Jun 18, 2011)

They vary in colour as stated, due to their locations, species and to survive. For example, the Hymenopus coronus(orchid mantis) is brightly coloured, u wont expect it to survive for long in brown leaf litter right? So for me, i believe its for camoflauge to survive. Every creature has been specially adapted to survive, be it their colour, size, smell etc...


----------



## Pssh (Jun 18, 2011)

The European mantids are neat little guys. Mine seem to become the color of their folliage in their tubs. If there is no foliage they seem to turn a white-tan color. (more oten than not anyways.)


----------



## bugmankeith (Jun 18, 2011)

Pssh said:


> The European mantids are neat little guys. Mine seem to become the color of their folliage in their tubs. If there is no foliage they seem to turn a white-tan color. (more oten than not anyways.)


So what your saying is (since they start off all the same color), that they actually become the color of the most abundant surrounding (ex.green grass,brown leaves, gray tree bark).  If thats true that is awesome!

I have never kept mantids before, but if anyone who does can try, try putting only something like bright pink or yellow in the enclosure from the moment you get the nymphs and see if they grow up to be close to that color. I'd love to see pictures on what happens.


----------



## 1Lord Of Ants1 (Jun 18, 2011)

bugmankeith said:


> So what your saying is (since they start off all the same color), that they actually become the color of the most abundant surrounding (ex.green grass,brown leaves, gray tree bark).  If thats true that is awesome!
> 
> I have never kept mantids before, but if anyone who does can try, try putting only something like bright pink or yellow in the enclosure from the moment you get the nymphs and see if they grow up to be close to that color. I'd love to see pictures on what happens.


When I had ghost mantids, raising the nymphs on green foliage, along with keeping the humidity high, would result in green adults. Dark enviorments made them brown/reddish.


----------



## Pssh (Jun 19, 2011)

Yes, but they have their limits. Certains species can only be certain colors. Yellow would probably result in a very light colored individual, though not a yellow one (as far as european mantis' go.)


----------



## Lawnmower599 (Jun 19, 2011)

they change in the heat which changes the colour and surrounding


----------



## Obelisk (Jun 20, 2011)

Mantids tend to stay out in the open, so they depend more on their camouflage than something more secretive, such as a scorpion. This results in mantid species showing a greater variety of colors and patterns than you might see in something that spends more time hiding.


----------

