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Hierodula membranacea, the Giant Asian mantis, is a large species of praying mantis renowned for its large size, hardiness, and ferocity.
The giant Asian mantis is the perfect species for people with little or no experience in keeping mantis or other pet invertebrates. They grow large, are tame, can be handled regularly, and are extremely easy to care for.
All arthropods undergo the process of molting, where they replace their exoskeleton in order to grow larger. Giant Asian mantis molt around 10 times before reaching adulthood, after which they won’t molt again.
During a molt your mantis will be soft and vulnerable, and should not be fed or handled for at least 24 more hours. Your mantis may stop accepting food for several days approaching a molt.
Read: The Complete Guide To Praying Mantis Molting
It’s important to keep your giant Asian mantis’s enclosure humid so they can safely molt. Giant Asian mantis
Giant Asian mantis need an enclosure 3x as tall as the total body length of the mantis. This ensures your pet will have the space to safely molt. We recommend the Bug Pets nymph enclosure for giant Asian mantis nymphs.
A durable cross-ventilated, perspex, fibreglass mesh-top mantis nymph enclosure. Designed to prevent mismolts.
Giant Asian mantis like to be kept warm but do not have extreme temperature environments. Keeping them in a warm room in your home at around 23c is generally sufficient.
You’ll need to mist your giant Asian mantises enclosure daily to ensure it remains humid, and so your pet can drink. Keeping the substrate moist will increase the RH% (relative humidity) which will help your mantis to safely molt.
Durable 250ml clear glass spray bottle for misting invertebrate enclosures, keeping your pet healthy, humid, and hydrated.
Young giant Asian mantis nymphs should be fed D. Hydei fruit flies. until their abdomen is sufficiently plump, as seen below.
Unfed giant Asian mantis nymph.
The same mantis after feeding.
As your mantis matures, you can move on to locusts, dubia roaches, or feeders around 2/3rd the size of your mantis.
Male and female Hierodula membrancea nymphs look almost identical, but can be easily sexed as they mature.
Female giant Asian mantis have 6 abdominal segments, along with a plump, rounder abdomen. Males, on the other hand, total 8 segments, with thin and long abdomens.
Adult female H. membranacea with 6 segments.
Adult male H. membranacea with 8 segments.
As with all mantis, female giant Asian mantis are larger than the males. Females typically have large, plump abdomens, shorter antennae, and bulkier arms.
Mature female H. membranacea
Mature male H. membranacea.
The behavioural differences between male and female giant Asian mantis become very pronounced with maturity, as females become increasingly aggressive and food motivated, where males are much less food motivated after reaching adulthood, and love to fly around.
Female giant Asian mantis have wings that barely reach their lower abdomen, while the wings of males extend past. Male H. membranacea wings are typically thin and glass-like.
Mature female H. membranacea
Mature male H. membranacea.
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Hierodula Membranacea
Durable 250ml clear glass spray bottle for misting invertebrate enclosures, keeping your pet healthy, humid, and hydrated.
