Favorite mantis species?

What are your favorite species based on experience?

Ghosts for sure.

- MantisGirl13 

I love the deadleaf species Deroplatys desicata and deroplatys truncatta I like the way they blend in to there environment also ghost mantids to me sort of a leaf mimic of sorts

 I love the stick mimics popa spurca and Heterochaeta orientalis also because of the way they blend in.

Rhombedera  basalis I can't see my self without this species they are farely active hunters get large have the neatest character like eyes.

Hierodula venosa and majscula they are nice size and have neat colors even though majacula is mainly green the murune color acent stripe and raptorial two tone color is awesome

Orchids because of there shape and color also the L1s as black and red little ninjas.

There are more but currently these are some I have now.

Polyspilota aeruginosa. Almost like chinese mantids but a bit bigger and way more robust. Bottomless appetites and they had a wide range or colors as well, from reddish brown to almost turquoise. 

Carolina mantises are probably one of my top favorites! They were my first mantis I kept.

I also like Giant Asians (Hierodula membranacea) because they are so full of personality and aggressive and come in many different colors.

Chinese are awesome as well!

I enjoy Ghosts also.

Parasphendale affinis, aggressive feeders, not skittish, nice patterns on the nymphs. hardy as you can get.

Ghosts are nice too. They looks like a cross between Marvel’s venom and the smurfs when their small nymphs. 

My favo species are hierodula membranacea (my first mantis was one) Ghosts, Creobroters, Budwings. mantids have great personalities.

Hierodula membranacea are wonderful also! My best eater out of all my mantids is my handicap girl!

There's a reason why orchid mantids are so coveted. I'd definitely count them in my top 3 at least because they are great "initiators" to helping people who are afraid of/hate insects see a different perspective. Everyone I've showed an orchid mantis too thought it was beautiful and said they never knew insects could look like that. 

I like giant Asians a lot too they have that classic mantis feel that’s what pops in to my head when I hear the word mantis 

Peruvian Leaf - Pseudoxyops perpulchra