Tenodera aridifolia

Table of Contents

Common Name: Chinese Mantis

Scientific Classification


Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Mantodea
Family: Mantidae
Genus: Tenodera
Species: Tenodera aridifolia

Conservation Status

Not Evaluated [NE] | (IUCN 3.1)

Identifying Features

Chinese mantis adults are 3" long and vary from brown to green in color. They have a triangular head, large eyes, elongated body, and their forelegs have spines to grasp their prey.

Habitat & Range

These mantids are commonly found in fields and gardens across the US. They are native to Asia, India, and Indonesia.

Behavior

The Chinese mantis waits still, and catches other insects to eat. They are primarily diurnal, or active during the day.

Life Cycle

Chinese mantids will breed in early fall, and lay eggs in a papery case. The eggs will overwinter, then hatch in the spring. Adults will die in the fall.

Featured image by James Dake

Acanthocephala terminalis