Flying Mantis?

[Burmeister]

Hi we’ve only had our wild Twiggy Girl for two weeks. She’s pretty happy crawling around and turning to look at us when we talk to her, but will she ever fly with those impressive looking wings? I’m always a little bit nervous when we take her out that she might decide to take off...

 

[minomantis]

She is a beautiful mantis! Female mantids usually can't fly. Their abdomen is too big to allow them to stay in the air for any amount of time. The best you'll see her do is a gracefully flutter to the ground if she ever jumps off your hand, but no real flight action happening, so you don't have to worry about that.

 

[ausar318]

I agree with minomantis. Usually, females cannot fly. That is not to say that she won’t try to fly, but she won’t go very far. In general, females only have wings for gliding down from high places. But as for flying, they cannot really gain altitude like a male can. 

So when you do take her outside, you shouldn’t have to worry about her flying away. I’ve had females before that did try to fly away, but they are slow and clumsy, so it isn’t hard to recover them. 

 

[MantisGirl13]

Yes, I have had females try to fly, but they really only can jump while fluttering their wings. Males are the ones that can really fly!

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

Cochise tried it 1x when her abdomen was not very fat. But she didnt come far. The other females didn't try it. But I have all my males seen flying off my hand to another place on my desk.

 

[Burmeister]

Ok great thanks for the replies   I'll feel better about taking her out of her enclosure now

 

[MantisGirl13]

 Sure! Females are usually easier to handle and less skittish than males.

- MantisGirl13

 

[Cole 78]

Females tend to be too heavy to do any real flying. You will definitely see the occasional attempt, but do not worry about it getting away. I would be a bit more careful when handling males though, they have all the physical capabilities needed to take to the sky's. Really, I would only be worried of the female taking a half- hearted attempt and falling, only to injure herself. 

Unlike bumblebees, mantids do listen to the laws of physics.  (Bumblees wings shouldn't be able to support their body weight, but do they care?)