Mantids - Size Variation in Species

[padkison]

From left to right

Hierodula membranacea, Parasphendale agrionina, Chloroharpax modesta
(Asian Giant, African Budwing, Nigerian Flower)
3.5", 2", 1.25"

 

[starmaiden]

Those are cool Pictures! I love praying mantids! I used to like to collect the egg cases and hatch out the babies when I was a kid and living in California. I don't know what species they were. Yours are beautiful.

 

[roach dude]

Wow, Great looking mantis. You lucky they didnt eat eachother! lol

 

[Alice]

nice! i 'accidentally' got a hymenophus coronatus with about 2-3 cm body size at a show yesterday. god, i love that critter, they look and behave out of this world! i'm definitely going to get more mantida, any tips?

 

[padkison]

I haven't met a mantid I didn't like

So far I really like the P. agrionina (African Budwings). They are hardy, are a nice mottled brown with pinkish eyes and will tackle bigger prey than the much larger Asian Giants.

The Nigerian Flower mantids are also nice. Very quick when they snatch prey. Petite with pinkish eyes.

Budwing female and adult discoid. She ate about 1/2.

 

[Tleilaxu]

That asian giant one whats its full size? I heard that some mantids can get up to six inches.

 

[padkison]

Asian Giant female is about 3.5". I believe the 6" mantis is one of the twig type, long and skinny.

 

[Alice]

wow, beautiful. i think i'm less of a stick-skinny-type and more of a beautiful-curves-type. uh, concerning mantids of course