How to Feed a Mantis

Praying mantises, also called mantids, are hunting insects. Most mantises are ambush hunters. Holding its forelegs in a prayer like position enables the mantis to swiftly strike and grasp prey. They feed on insects and spiders for the most part, although large ones may take such prey as small frogs or hummingbirds. Some species of praying mantises grown to 12 inches in length and live for about a year. If kept in confinement, they must be fed daily as juveniles and twice a week as adults. Because they are cannibalistic, they should not be housed together.

Things You'll Need

  • Pinhead crickets
  • Fruitflies
  • Crickets
  • Mealworms
  • Waxworms
  • Butterworms
  • Roaches
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Instructions

    • 1

      Feed the juvenile living pinhead crickets and fruit flies daily. Food should be half the size of the mantis head. The mantis prefers to hunt for its food and eats its prey alive.

    • 2

      Feed the adult mantis twice a week. The amount of food should be half the size of the mantis head. They eat crickets, mealworms, waxworms, butterworms and roaches.

    • 3

      Spray the environment with water to ensure the mantis is hydrated. The mantis will lose its appetite and not eat when it is dehydrated or molting.