The Basics about Having an Orchid Mantis
What are Orchid Mantises?
An Orchid Mantis, also called Hymenopus Coronatus or H. bicornis, is a mantis that is from the tropical Southeast Asian forests. It’s most commonly referred to as an Orchid Mantis, however there are several different species that are known as Flower Mantises because of their looks and behaviour. An Orchid Mantis has adapted to be particularly good at camouflaging and blending in with orchids and other similar flowers. They are predominantly white with pink or yellow accents and, depending on their gender, they’ll also have a coloured ring around their neck. For instance, females have a green ring whereas males have a brown/yellow ring. Furthermore, their colouring makes them very attractive to their pray.
Mantises vary in size depending on gender as the females are usually twice the size of the males. This could be due to the female predatory selection as some mantises are known to exhibit sexual cannibalism.
Mantis Enclosure
An Orchid Mantis enclosure should be made of glass as this allows heat to escape so that the terrarium stays cool. Furthermore, the enclosure should be approximately 28°C as this is the most ideal temperature for their survival, however it can vary from 25-35°C. On the other hand, it should be a minimum of 18°C at night because the species needs a rather high humidity. In addition to this, their enclosures should be a minimum of 3 times their height and twice their width. For instance, a good size would be 30 x 20 x 20cm (Height x Width x Length)
What to Feed an Orchid Mantis
Orchid Mantises specifically prefer flying insects. For instance, nymphs L1-L4 will eat fruit flies then as an adult will feed on house flies, blue bottles, butterflies and moths. Mantises will only eat live insects which means that crickets, caterpillars, locusts and wax worms make good alternatives.
Mantises can benefit from consuming honey, honey powder and pollen, and coating one of their meals in these ingredients should be carried out once a week.
Different Types of Mantis:
- Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus Coronatus)
- Ghost Mantis (Phyllocrania Paradoxa)
- Budwing Mantis (Parasphendale affinis
- Dead Leaf Mantis (Deroplatys desiccate)
- Gambian Spotted-eye Mantis (Pseudoharpax Virescens)
Mantises make a brilliant pet as they are interesting to watch, especially when they are eating, however they can be motionless for hours. In addition to this, there are a variety of different species and some are easier to care for than others, however they are easy to handle, very docile and will happy to walk from hand to hand. It’s also extremely unlikely that you will be bitten! To find out more information, get in contact with a member of The Home and Gardens team today!