Mantids

Order Mantodea

The Mantids (Order Mantodea) includes 70 species across 6 families and 16 genera in our directory.

About Mantids

Mantodea (praying mantises) includes ~2,400 described species in 430 genera. The praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head 180 degrees to look over its shoulder.

Economic Impact

Mantises are sold commercially as garden pest control. The Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis) was introduced to the U.S. in 1896 for pest control and is now established across the eastern United States.

Ecological Role

Mantises are apex insect predators with lightning-fast strike speeds - they can catch prey in as little as 50-70 milliseconds. Some species catch hummingbirds and small lizards. Female mantises sometimes practice sexual cannibalism, consuming the male during or after mating in about 25% of encounters.

Families in Mantodea (6)

Species in Mantodea (70)

Bistanta campestris

Thespidae

Identification: Slender; small conical projections or "bumps" above each eye (not always easily seen, depending on perspective); front tibiae very short; pronotum with portion behind attachment of front legs about twice the length of portion in front

Bistanta herema

Thespidae

Identification: Recently split from B. mexicana ; not known to overlap in range with the other US species produced by this split, B. campestris , so within the genus can be identified safely by location in the USA. Other differences include proportio

Bordered Mantis

Stagmomantis limbata

Mantidae

Identification: Moderately large Mantid. Facial plate (below and between antennae) about twice as wide as long (as for genus), eyes not as protruding as in Carolina Mantid. Females most often fairly plain green (often yellowish abdomen), but someti

Brunner's Mantis

Brunneria borealis

Coptopterygidae

Identification: From genus description: Very slender, much resembling a Walkingstick. Our species with very short wings. Pronotum with prothorax approximately 3 times the length of remainder of thorax, and with portion of pronotum in front of front l

Litaneutria minor

Mantidae

Identification: “Pronotum distinctly longer than wide. Fore femur lacking deep pit or groove between first and second spines on outer ventral margin. Outer ventral margin of fore femur usually with 4 spines: antenna thin, filamentous. Fore tibia unar

Little Yucatan Mantid

Mantoida maya

Mantoididae

Identification: The juvenile form of this species mimics ants and wingless ichneumon wasps (head & thorax red, abdomen black). Pronotum square-shaped, about as long as wide. The abdomen is generally oval with white bands on the first 2 abdominal terg

Liturgusa maya

Liturgusidae

parthenogenetic in FL, although both males and females known from the native range

Mediterranean Mantis

Iris oratoria

Tarachodidae

Identification: Lower frons with horns. Forefemur with 5 posteroventral spines. Hind wings with yellowish area with dark blotch may be distinguished from Mantis religiosa and other mantids of similar general size and shape by the red-orange spot on t