Giant Asian Mantis, Hierodula Membranacea

About

Giant Asian mantis, Hierodula membranacea, are a wonderful & hardy praying mantis species perfect for those new to praying mantis keeping and invertebrate keeping overall. Giant Asian mantis are one of the largest & bulkiest species in the pet trade, growing up to 4 inches long. In temperament, this species is considered docile & handleable, while still retaining the token ferocity & aggression that mantis keepers highly value. Hierodula membranacea is considered a very easy species to care for, perfect for anyone delving into mantis-keeping for the first time. This is a staple species that the majority of experienced keepers have owned at least once. Growing up to 4 inches, or 10cm, the giant Asian mantis is the largest beginner friendly mantis species available. Its large size makes it perfect for handling and an overall excellent pet insect. The giant Asian mantis is the ultimate starter species as far as mantis go. In temperament, the giant Asian mantis is a calm and docile species that make wonderful companions. Despite their placid nature, Hierodula membranacea are excellent hunters with their aggression and mantis-like nature showing most prominently in mature adult females. Giant Asian mantis are notable gluttons, and are such voracious eaters, in fact, that some owners have to regulate their diet so they do not eat themselves to illness. Hierodula membranacea are active hunters rather than ambush predators, and would much rather seek and chase down prey than wait for it to unknowingly approach first. Giant Asian mantis rarely wander, and are perfectly happy to stay in the same place which makes them ideal for supervised free-roaming. Their large size as adults and bright green colouring make them difficult to lose track of if you’re paying attention. It’s perfectly normal to allow these critters to sit beside you while you go about your day, being more than happy to simply relax on a houseplant. It’s not hard to see why giant Asian mantis are beloved by both new & experienced keepers. If you’re looking for your first mantis and aren’t sure which to pick, this is the choice for you.

Feeding

Giant Asian mantis nymphs will thrive on a diet of D. Hydeii fruit flies. As they mature, switch to crickets, dubia roaches, locusts, green/blue bottle flies, and other suitable prey. These critters are not considered fussy eaters, and will tackle prey around 1/2 of their total body length. Feed until the abdomen becomes plump and large.

Environmental Conditions

Giant Asian mantis are easy to care for and so do not require hard-to-maintain humidity & temperature levels. Giant Asian mantis will happily thrive at around room temperature, with relative humidity levels at around 60-70% RH. Temperature can be maintained using a heat mat if necessary, and humidity levels can be boosted via moisture-retaining substrate such as coco coir fibre. Mist your Hierodula membranacea's enclosure daily to ensure your mantis stays hydrated, and to further boost the enclosure humidity. Praying mantis need an enclosure at least 3x as tall as the mantis's total body length. This space ensures your mantis can safely molt, as it must extend downwards to escape its skin. L2-L4 giant Asian mantis nymphs are around 1-2cm long.

Sexing

Giant Asian mantis can be sexed as nymphs by counting the segments on their abdomen, females have 6 abdominal segments while males have 8. As the giant Asian mantis matures, females become noticeably larger than males, developing a bulkier shape while males are typically thinner. Adult female mantis have wings that do not extend past the abdomen, while the wings of males extend slightly past.