Healthy Praying Mantis Care: Setting Up the Perfect Home

Hello, mantis friend! Picture your praying mantis perched like a living sculpture, its world defined by the walls of its enclosure. Getting that space right is the first step toward a long, vibrant life together.

The essential habitat requirements for a healthy praying mantis blend security, climate control, and natural furnishings-a secure enclosure, balanced humidity and temperature, safe climbing surfaces, and a setup that supports their hunting instincts.

This isn’t about one single item; it’s how all these elements work in harmony, much like the delicate balance in a terrarium. From my own mantis, Moss, who thrives in his carefully curated space, I’ve seen how each detail contributes to their well-being.

Let’s preview the key areas we’ll explore together:

• Selecting an enclosure that keeps your mantis safe and content
• Mastering humidity levels to support molting and health
• Maintaining a stable, warm temperature gradient
• Choosing substrates and decor that prevent injury
• Understanding the role of ventilation and gentle lighting

Choosing the Right Enclosure: A Safe and Spacious Home

Your mantis’s home is more than a container; it’s a secure world where they will grow, hunt, and shed their skin. We want to mimic the safety of broad leaves and tall grasses. The most vital measurement is height-your mantis needs ample vertical space to hang upside-down and molt successfully, a process where they are incredibly vulnerable. A simple rule is an enclosure at least three times the mantis’s length in height, and twice its length in width.

Finding the Perfect Fit: Enclosure Size by Life Stage

A tiny nymph in a vast adult terrarium can struggle to find its food, while a large adult in a small jar cannot molt properly. Matching the space to their stage is an act of care.

Life Stage	Approximate Size	Minimum Enclosure Size	Notes
Early Nymph (L1-L3)	5-15 mm	10 cm tall x 8 cm wide	A large deli cup or small plastic habitat is ideal. Focus on easy feeding.
Late Nymph / Subadult	2-5 cm	15-20 cm tall x 12 cm wide	This is a period of rapid growth. Ensure plenty of climbing options.
Adult	5-10 cm (species dependent)	25-30 cm tall x 20 cm wide	Vertical space is non-negotiable for the final, critical molt to adulthood.

Enclosure Types: Mesh, Glass, and Plastic Compared

Each material creates a different microclimate. Your choice depends on your mantis species, your local room conditions, and what feels right for you.

• Mesh or Screen Cages
  • Pros: Superb airflow prevents mold, perfect for species from arid climates. Easy to hang climbing mesh internally.
  • Cons: Humidity vanishes quickly, requiring more frequent misting. Tiny nymphs can sometimes escape through fine mesh.
  • Safety Check: Ensure the mesh is fine enough to contain prey and your mantis. Check door latches are secure.
• Glass Terrariums
  • Pros: Excellent visibility and heat retention. Holds humidity well for tropical species like Orchid Mantises.
  • Cons: Heavy, expensive, and can overheat if placed in direct sun. Airflow must be managed with a mesh top.
  • Safety Check: A secure, fine-mesh ventilation lid is essential. Ensure no sharp edges on opening panes.
• Plastic Containers (DIY or Commercial)
  • Pros: Lightweight, affordable, and great at maintaining humidity. Easy to modify with a soldering iron for mesh ventilation panels.
  • Cons: Can scratch over time, slightly distorting visibility. Static can sometimes be an issue for very small nymphs.
  • Safety Check: Sand any melted ventilation holes smooth. Ensure the lid clips or seals firmly to prevent escapes.

For a beginner or a nursery for nymphs, a clean large mason jar with a mesh fabric lid secured by a rubber band makes a wonderful temporary home. The key is always providing more climbing surface than floor space, turning the walls and ceiling into a usable jungle gym.

Crafting the Perfect Climate: Warmth and Moisture Balance

Think of your mantis’s enclosure as a small, living diorama of their native environment. Getting the climate right isn’t about precision machinery, but about observing and gently recreating the warm, moist air of a meadow or the drier warmth of a shrubland. Your mantis is an ectotherm, relying on the surrounding warmth to energise its movements and digestion, making consistent temperature your first priority.

Temperature Comfort: Creating a Gentle Warmth

Avoid placing the enclosure in direct sunlight, which can create a deadly oven. Aim for a stable ambient temperature with one slightly warmer area, allowing your mantis to choose its comfort. You can enhance this by creating a vertical temperature gradient in the enclosure, with a warmer zone near the top and cooler areas below. This lets your mantis move up or down to thermoregulate.

• Common Temperatures by Species:
  • Ghost Mantis (like our Luna): 22-28°C
  • Giant Asian Mantis (like Moss): 24-30°C
  • Orchid Mantis: 25-30°C
  • European Mantis: 20-28°C

A small heat mat placed on the upper back or side of the enclosure, connected to a thermostat, is the safest way to provide supplemental heat. Never place heat mats underneath, as mantises instinctively burrow away from heat and could overheat. Watch for your mantis “basking” near the warmth after a meal—a sign they’re regulating their digestion.

Humidity Harmony: Misting and Measurement

Humidity supports respiratory health and is critical for successful molting, helping the old skin split cleanly. A simple digital hygrometer takes the guesswork out.

• General Humidity Ranges:
  • Tropical species (Orchid, Jeweled): 60-80%
  • Moderate humidity species (Ghost, Giant Asian): 50-70%
  • Arid-adapted species (some flower mantises): 40-60%

Use a fine mist spray bottle to lightly rain on the enclosure walls and foliage once or twice daily, avoiding directly spraying your mantis. The goal is to create tiny droplets for drinking and a brief spike in humidity that then gently falls, mimicking a morning dew. For glass or plastic enclosures, adjusting how much of the mesh top is covered with cling film lets you fine-tune moisture retention against airflow.

Your daily climate check becomes a quiet ritual: glance at the thermometer and hygrometer, offer a light mist, and observe your mantis’s posture. A healthy mantis in good humidity will often groom its forearms and antennae meticulously, a peaceful sign all is well in their miniature world.

Building a Natural Landscape: Floor, Foliage, and Furniture

Substrate Choices: From Functional to Naturalistic

Think of your mantis’s floor as the foundation of their tiny world-it handles moisture, supports cleanliness, and even offers a bit of comfort underfoot. Choosing the right substrate makes daily care simpler and helps mimic the soft, earthy surfaces they’d find in nature.

• Coconut Fiber (Coir): This loose, brown material holds humidity well and feels gentle for mantises that like to roam low. It’s biodegradable and easy to spot-clean, though it can dry out if not misted regularly. My ghost mantis, Luna, often rests on hers, the fibres cushioning her delicate, leaflike legs.
• Sterilised Potting Soil: A more naturalistic option, soil supports live plants and provides excellent moisture retention. Ensure it’s free from fertilisers and pesticides. It can be messier to clean, but for species like the Giant Asian, it adds a touch of wild authenticity.
• Paper Towel: Lined flat on the enclosure bottom, paper towel is brilliantly simple for new keepers. It allows you to monitor droppings and leftover food at a glance, making weekly changes a breeze. While it doesn’t hold moisture, a light daily mist keeps the air humid.

For the few mantis species that enjoy a bit of burrowing, like some ground-dwelling types, aim for a substrate depth of two to three inches to allow gentle digging. Always avoid small, loose particles like sand that could irritate their delicate joints or be accidentally ingested.

Foliage and Furniture: Perches, Hides, and Climbing Routes

Mantises are ambush predators by nature, so their habitat needs vertical interest and hiding spots to feel secure. By adding a mix of foliage and branches, you create a stimulating environment that encourages natural behaviours like climbing, perching, and safe molting. This setup helps you create a naturalistic, safe habitat for your praying mantis.

Start with safe, easy-to-find plants and branches. Live plants like pothos or spider plants are wonderful-they boost humidity and offer fresh perches. Artificial silk or plastic plants work too, provided they have no sharp edges. For branches, collect sterilised twigs from non-toxic trees like oak or birch; bake them in a low oven for an hour to kill any pests.

1. Establish Anchor Points: Place a few sturdy branches diagonally or vertically against the enclosure walls, securing them with a dab of hot glue if needed. This gives your mantis multiple climbing routes at different heights.
2. Layer the Foliage: Weave leaves or artificial vines around the branches to create dense patches. These provide hiding spots where your mantis can retreat, much like my orchid mantis, Sprig, who tucks herself among pink blossoms.
3. Create a Molting Zone: Ensure at least one open area near the top of the enclosure with a clear, upside-down perch-a horizontal branch or a mesh ceiling works. Mantises need to hang freely to shed their old skin without obstruction.
4. Vary the Heights: Arrange perches at low, medium, and high levels to encourage exploration. This mimics the layered canopy of a garden and keeps your mantis engaged.

As you arrange, run your fingers along all surfaces to check for rough or sharp points that could snag a leg. A well-structured landscape turns a simple container into a thriving miniature ecosystem where your mantis can hunt, rest, and grow with confidence.

Ensuring Fresh Air and Gentle Light: Ventilation and Day Cycles

A healthy mantis habitat balances two invisible elements: the movement of air and the rhythm of light. Getting this balance right prevents illness and supports your mantis’s natural instincts for hunting and resting. Think of it as crafting a tiny, perfect slice of the outdoors on your shelf.

Ventilation: The Importance of Steady Airflow

Stagnant, damp air is a mantis keeper’s quiet adversary. Steady airflow whisks away excess moisture from misting and prevents the growth of harmful mold and bacteria. It keeps the environment fresh, much like a gentle breeze moving through garden leaves.

Our mantis Moss, in his well-ventilated home, always seems more active and alert after a light misting when the air is moving. Luna, our Ghost Mantis, relies on that dryness to keep her delicate, leaflike frills from staying damp.

Spotting and Solving Airflow Issues

How do you know if your enclosure needs better ventilation? Watch for these clues:

• Condensation that lingers for hours on the glass or plastic.
• A faint, musty smell when you open the lid.
• Visible fuzzy white or green mold spots on substrate or decor.

Improving airflow is often straightforward. For glass or plastic tanks, ensure the top is a fine mesh screen, not solid plastic, and consider adding small mesh vents on opposite sides to create a cross-breeze. For pop-up mesh cages, they usually breathe well, but keep them out of direct drafts from windows or air conditioning.

Lighting: Simulating Sunup and Sundown

Praying mantises do not need special heat lamps or UVB bulbs. They thrive on the gentle, ambient light of an ordinary room and a consistent schedule that mimics the sun. Their ideal lighting and heating requirements are simple: stable indirect light and a steady, moderate temperature. Direct sunlight will dangerously overheat their small space in minutes, so always place enclosures in bright, indirect light.

Creating a Simple Day-Night Rhythm

A consistent light cycle tells your mantis when to be active and when to rest. Aim for 12 to 14 hours of “daylight” followed by 10 to 12 hours of darkness. You can achieve this perfectly by using the existing light in your room or a simple plug-in timer for a lamp.

1. Place the enclosure in a room where lights are turned on and off at roughly the same times daily.
2. If your schedule varies, invest in a cheap outlet timer for a small desk lamp. Set it to turn on in the morning and off in the evening.
3. Observe your mantis’s pattern; they often become more alert and ready to hunt as the “day” begins and settle into a still, resting pose at “night.”

This rhythm is a subtle but powerful comfort, providing a predictable structure that reduces stress for your captive-bred insect. You will notice they come to anticipate feeding times during their active hours, adding a lovely regularity to your care routine.

Meeting Daily Needs: Water, Food, and Enrichment

Caring for your mantis day-to-day is a quiet rhythm of providing fresh water, offering food, and keeping their world gently engaging. Think of it not as a chore, but as a daily connection-a chance to observe your mantis’s health and unique personality up close. We’ll walk through the simple methods that keep them thriving, from the delicate beads of water they sip to the lively hunt for their next meal.

For hydration, mantises drink from droplets, so we use a gentle misting bottle, never a water bowl which can pose a drowning risk. Feeding involves offering live prey of the right size and type, placed thoughtfully in the habitat to encourage natural hunting behavior. A simple feeding station, like a small vial or leaf, can help contain smaller insects like fruit flies. After feeding, watch for those fascinating strikes; our Ghost Mantis, Luna, has a particular way of tilting her head before she pounces, telling us she’s engaged and healthy.

Enrichment is wonderfully straightforward. Every few weeks, a small change-like shifting a branch or adding a new leaf-can spark curiosity and prevent boredom. It’s a subtle way to mimic the slight variations they’d find in nature, keeping their environment fresh without causing stress.

Hydration: Misting Schedules and Drinking Droplets

Mantis hydration relies entirely on you providing fine water droplets on enclosure walls and leaves. They will extend their mouthparts to drink these tiny beads, a behavior that’s both delicate and essential for their well-being. Use a clean spray bottle filled with lukewarm, dechlorinated water-tap water left out for 24 hours works perfectly-and mist lightly to avoid soaking the substrate.

Your misting schedule depends on your mantis species and your local humidity. Here’s a simple frequency guide to follow:

• For species from arid climates (like some ground mantises): Mist lightly once every two to three days.
• For tropical species (like Orchid or Ghost Mantises): Mist once daily, or twice if your room air is quite dry.
• For temperate species (like the European Mantis): Mist every other day, adjusting if the enclosure feels damp.

Watch closely after misting. You might see your mantis pause, then lean forward to sip droplets, often from a favorite leaf or the mesh lid. If you notice your mantis drinking frequently, it might need more humidity; if the enclosure stays wet for hours, reduce misting. Always ensure your spray bottle and water are pure to prevent introducing any contaminants to their home.

Feeding: Prey Selection and Habitat Placement

Offering the right food is key to a mantis’s growth and vitality. Prey should be alive, nutritious, and no larger than the space between your mantis’s eyes to prevent injury or intimidation. Variety helps too, as different insects offer different nutrients.

Suitable prey changes as your mantis grows. Match the insect to the life stage for safe, successful feeding: For a comprehensive list of insects mantises eat, check our guide. This helps you choose age-appropriate prey at each stage.

• Hatchlings (L1-L3): Flightless fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) or pinhead crickets.
• Juveniles (L4-subadult): Larger fruit flies, small crickets, or house flies.
• Adults: Medium crickets, blue bottle flies, moths, or the occasional waxworm as a treat.

Place food safely in the habitat to stimulate natural hunting. Follow these steps to offer meals without stress:

1. For flying insects like fruit flies, chill them briefly in the fridge to slow them down, then release a few near your mantis using a small brush or by tapping them from a vial.
2. For crickets, offer them individually with soft-tipped feeding tweezers, holding the insect near the mantis’s front legs.
3. Alternatively, create a simple feeding station by placing prey on a broad leaf or in a shallow bottle cap wedged between branches.
4. Observe from a distance. A healthy mantis will notice movement and strike with precision. Our Giant Asian mantis, Moss, loves to stalk crickets along his favorite vine.
5. After 15-20 minutes, remove any uneaten prey. Leftover insects can bother your mantis or contaminate the enclosure.

Feeding time is also a health check. A mantis that eagerly hunts is typically a content one, while refusal to eat can signal upcoming molting or other needs. Keep records of feeding days and preferences; it helps you learn their rhythms and catch any changes early.

Maintaining a Healthy Home: Cleanliness and Molt Safety

Think of your mantis’s enclosure as a living diorama that needs your attentive touch to stay balanced and healthy. A consistent care routine blends simple cleaning with thoughtful preparation for molting, the most vulnerable time in your mantis’s life. We find that a clean space prevents stress and illness, while a well-prepared one ensures a smooth, successful shed every time.

Start with a basic cleaning rhythm: spot-clean waste daily, refresh the substrate monthly, and gently disinfect decor to keep everything fresh. Spot-cleaning involves quickly removing any leftover food or mantis droppings with tweezers, which stops mold and odors before they begin. For a full substrate change, we carefully relocate our mantis-Luna, our ghost mantis, perches calmly on a spare branch-and replace all bedding material every four to six weeks.

Disinfecting sticks, leaves, and hides is simple with a mild vinegar solution or just hot water. Always rinse decor thoroughly and let it dry completely to avoid chemical residues that could harm your pet. This routine mirrors how we keep our own spaces tidy, offering your mantis a sanctuary free from hidden threats.

Spotting Trouble: Signs of Habitat Issues and Mantis Stress

Stay alert for early warnings that your habitat needs attention. Common red flags include fuzzy white mold spots on substrate or decor, tiny moving mites around the enclosure base, or a persistent musty smell. Your mantis might show stress through unusual behaviors like frantic climbing, refusing food for extended periods, or rubbing its face against surfaces.

We noticed Moss, our giant Asian mantis, became unusually still and pale before his last molt, a quiet signal he needed extra care. Addressing these signs quickly with a habitat adjustment or deep clean can prevent minor issues from becoming major health concerns. Trust your observations; you know your mantis’s normal rhythms best.

Regular Cleaning: Preventing Mold and Pests

A predictable cleaning schedule turns habitat maintenance from a chore into a peaceful ritual. Following a tiered approach-daily, weekly, monthly-keeps the environment stable without overwhelming you or your mantis. We use this method for all our mantises, and it helps them thrive in their little glass worlds.

Your Step-by-Step Cleaning Schedule

Keep this routine simple and stress-free for both of you.

1. Daily Quick Checks: Spend a minute each morning looking for waste or uneaten prey. Remove them with soft tweezers to maintain freshness.
2. Weekly Waste Removal: Once a week, do a more thorough check. Wipe the enclosure walls with a damp cloth to clear condensation and debris.
3. Monthly Deep Cleans: Every four weeks, transfer your mantis to a temporary container. Replace all substrate, wash decor with safe agents, and let the habitat air-dry fully before returning your pet.

Consistency here is key; a clean home supports your mantis’s immune system and overall well-being. We often use this monthly refresh as a chance to rearrange perches, giving our mantises new perspectives to explore.

Safe Cleaning Agents for Your Mantis Home

Always choose gentle, non-toxic options to protect your mantis’s delicate health. Plain water is perfect for most wiping and rinsing, while a diluted white vinegar solution (one part vinegar to ten parts water) works well for disinfecting without harsh chemicals. Avoid soaps, detergents, or commercial cleaners, as their residues can be harmful. After cleaning, ensure everything is bone-dry to prevent moisture buildup that invites mold.

Molt Preparation: Creating a Secure Space

Molting is when your mantis sheds its old exoskeleton to grow, a process requiring stillness, safety, and higher humidity. Preparing a molt-safe zone in advance gives your mantis the best chance to emerge healthy and strong. We watch for subtle cues that molting is near, then make small adjustments to the habitat.

Recognizing Pre-Molt Signs

Your mantis will show clear behaviors indicating a shed is coming. Look for reduced activity, loss of appetite, and a duller coloration in the days leading up to the molt. Sprig, our orchid mantis, becomes very shy and refuses food entirely, hiding among her leaves. Some mantises may also hang upside down more frequently, testing their grip for the big moment.

Noticing these signs early allows you to pause feeding and minimize disturbances, reducing the risk of a fall or failed molt. It’s a quiet time that asks for your patience and observation.

Steps to Adjust the Habitat for a Safe Molt

Once you see pre-molt signals, take these steps to create a secure environment.

• Secure Perches: Ensure climbing branches or mesh lids are firmly attached, providing a stable hanging spot at least twice your mantis’s body length from the bottom.
• Boost Humidity: Lightly mist the enclosure with warm water once or twice daily to raise humidity, which softens the old exoskeleton for easier shedding.
• Minimize Disturbances: Place the habitat in a quiet, dim area and avoid handling or loud noises until the molt is complete.

These adjustments mimic the calm, humid conditions mantises seek in nature during this delicate process. After the molt, give your mantis several days to harden its new skin before offering food or resuming normal activity.

Tailoring the Habitat: Notes for Common Pet Mantis Species

While all mantises share core needs, their ideal worlds vary. Think of it like adjusting the climate and decor in your home to suit different family members—some prefer a cozy, dry nook, while others thrive in a warm, flower-filled sunroom. Here’s a quick guide to the preferences of three beloved species. That’s why habitat matters. Different mantis species live in a range of environments—from tropical forests to arid grasslands—and those homes shape their behavior and needs.

Species	Daytime Temperature	Humidity (RH)	Foliage & Decor
Ghost Mantis	22-28°C (72-82°F)	50-60%	Twiggy branches, dried leaves, ample hiding spots.
Orchid Mantis	25-30°C (77-86°F)	60-80%	Broad-leafed plants, floral-looking perches, soft greenery.
Giant Asian Mantis	23-30°C (73-86°F)	50-70%	Sturdy vertical branches, room to climb and hang.

Ghost Mantis and Other Delicate Species

Species like the Ghost Mantis are masters of subtlety. My Ghost, Luna, spends her days looking like a crumpled brown leaf, perfectly still until an unsuspecting fruit fly wanders too close. Their delicate, frilled bodies are adapted for dry, whisper-quiet environments.

• Lower Humidity is Key: Aim for 50-60% RH. High humidity can lead to fungal issues on their intricate frills. A light mist every other day is often enough.
• Ample Hiding Spots: Fill the enclosure with twigs, dried oak leaves, and fake vines. They feel secure when they can disappear into the scenery.
• Observe Shy Behaviors: They are not bold climbers. You’ll often find them hanging motionless mid-level in the foliage, relying on camouflage rather than speed.

Providing a calm, dry-ish space with plenty of visual breaks lets their natural, cautious personalities shine. Watching Luna slowly tilt her head to track movement is a lesson in patient predation.

Orchid Mantis and High-Humidity Lovers

Orchid mantises are the living blossoms of the insect world, and their habitat should feel like a dewy tropical garden. My juvenile Orchid, Sprig, practically shimmers under the lamp, her pink and white marbling deepening when the humidity is just right. They are more sensitive to their environment than hardier species.

• Warmer Temperatures: Maintain a steady 25-30°C (77-86°F). A small, low-wattage heat mat on one side of the enclosure can help create a gentle gradient.
• Higher Humidity is Non-Negotiable: Target 60-80% RH. Daily, gentle misting is usually required to support healthy molts and maintain their vibrant appearance.
• Floral-Like Perches: Use broad, soft fake leaves or sturdy flowers for them to rest on. They hunt by ambush, so they need comfortable platforms from which to survey their domain.

Dry conditions stress them quickly, leading to failed molts. Listening for the soft rustle of a misting bottle is, for them, the sound of a refreshing morning dew. It makes all the difference.

Giant Asian Mantis and Hardy Generalists

For species like the robust Giant Asian mantis, think of creating a versatile gymnasium. My male, Moss, is a vibrant green explorer who uses every inch of his vertical space, from the substrate to the ceiling mesh. They are adaptable but appreciate thoughtful design.

• Flexible Climate: They tolerate a wider range (23-30°C, 50-70% RH), but consistency prevents stress. Misting once a day maintains good humidity for molting.
• Sturdy Vertical Climbing Space: Height is crucial for molting. Use branches and sticks that reach the top, ensuring secure footing for their impressive hangs.
• Room to Move: While not needing dense jungle, they require open pathways to climb, strike, and patrol. A cluttered floor is less important than a clear climbing frame.

Their hardiness makes them wonderful for beginners, but they still thrive with attention to detail. Providing a tall, breathable arena lets their energetic and curious nature fully express itself.

Common Mantis Queries

Can I use a pre-made habitat kit for my praying mantis, or should I build my own?

Pre-made kits offer convenience for beginners, but you must verify they provide sufficient height for molting and proper ventilation. Custom DIY setups often allow better tailoring to your mantis species’ specific humidity and space needs.

How can I make a praying mantis habitat safe and engaging for children to observe?

Choose an escape-proof enclosure with a secure lid and use only smooth, non-toxic decor to prevent injuries. Incorporate clear viewing sides and simple feeding stations to foster safe, educational interactions with the mantis. When choosing the enclosure, tailor it to the specific praying mantis species you keep, since different species have distinct space and ventilation needs. A species-specific setup will support natural behaviors and better health.

What is one key fact about praying mantis habitats that every owner should know?

Praying mantises are arboreal insects, relying on vertical climbing space to molt and hunt effectively in the wild. In nature, their distribution spans forests, grasslands, and shrublands, where tall vegetation provides the essential vertical structure. Replicating this with tall enclosures and ample perches is essential for their physical health and natural behavior in captivity. Understanding their natural habitat distribution helps inform enclosure design to mimic those vertical habitats.

A Gentle Keeper’s Reflection

Your mantis’s well-being springs from a habitat that mirrors the quiet, textured world they naturally seek—a secure enclosure with thoughtful ventilation, consistent warmth, and humidity that feels like a soft morning mist. When you pair this stable foundation with simple enrichment like twigs to climb and space to shed their skin undisturbed, you’re not just making a cage; you’re crafting a living landscape where they can truly flourish. This attention to detail is crucial, especially when creating a bioactive enclosure for your praying mantis.

This journey with your mantis is a quiet partnership, built on attentive observation and a willingness to adapt your care as they grow and change. We encourage every keeper to embrace that learning curve, to share notes with other enthusiasts, and to find joy in the daily rhythms of feeding, misting, and watching-much like we do with our own Moss, whose vibrant energy always reminds us that a cared-for mantis is a content one.

Further Reading & Sources

• How to Care for a Praying Mantis : 4 Steps – Instructables
• Mantis Care Sheet | Mantid Forum – Mantis Pet & Breeding Forum
• Praying Mantid caresheet – Amateur Entomologists’ Society (AES)
• General Mantis Care – Praying mantis care sheet and feeding