Giant Praying mantis Hierodula sp

The mantis size is from stage L3 to L6

Information

Hierodula, also called Giant Mantis, is easy to care for and will grow large, making it a popular beginner species. Read the care sheet with basic information on how to care for a hierodula.

Appearance

The color of the Giant Asian Mantis is usually green, but there are also yellow, beige and brown varieties. The beige individuals can even seem a bit pinkish. The difference in color is mainly due to the environment in which the animal is kept. They can develop a different color in a matter of days, but it is not yet certain which conditions will trigger a change in color.
Hierodula is one of the largest mantis species that is successfully kept in captivity. Adult females are about 3,5 inches long (8 – 9 cm), the males are with their 3 inches (7 – 8 cm) a bit smaller. The males are also much thinner and lighter than the females. The wings of a male extend to just past the abdomen. The adult females are bigger and bulkier than the males, with wings that extend just to the abdomen.

Behavior

Hierodula membranacea is a fierce kind of praying mantis. This species will actively hunt its prey once it spots it. They are not the sit-and-wait kind of predators. A large prey insect does not scare a Giant Asian Mantis, it will attack anything half its own body size or smaller. It won’t attack you though and can be handled easily. It will not be stressed out from having its enclosure close to people or pets.

Food

Adult Giant Asian Mantises are no picky eaters, they eat almost anything. When adult they can easily grab adult crickets, adult locusts and big cockroaches. Hierodula newborn L1 nymphs eat all species of fruit fly, and when older will eat small crickets, flies and young grasshoppers. They will hunt for their food and are not easily intimidated by their prey.

Environmental conditions

The ideal temperature for Hierodula  is about 24 ° C, but room temperature will also do (20 ° C). At night it can be cooler than daytime but at least 17 ° C.
This species does not have high demands concerning humidity, but it is important to spray with water every other day to allow the mantis to drink. A target air humidity is about 40 to 65%. Too high air humidity is a leading cause of death for this species of mantis!
As with all species of praying mantis, this species needs a cage that is at least 3 times the length of the animal height, and at least 2x the width of the animal. For an adult this means is at least 27 cm in height and 18 cm in width. A nice size for a terrarium would be 30 x 20 x 30 cm, so there is room for lots of fake plants and perches