Identify Please

[SlowChild]

Hi i found a 3-4 inch praying mantis in my garden and not sure what species it is, i live USA IL.

as far as i know, its a female

and it has that dot on the back of its wings,seen that on bigger mantises as well

also how often do they molt? i'm waiting for mine to shed

here is a few pics i have taken just now.

 

[Ntsees]

It looks like a Carolina mantid (Stagmomantis carolina) to me.

 

[AmandaLynn]

My guess would be S. carolina also, and a very pretty one. She is an adult, which means she is fully grown and will not molt anymore. There is a good chance that she has already mated in the wild though. So the ooths she lays could very well be fertile.

 

[SlowChild]

full grown... at only 4 inches size? darn i was hoping it was a bigger species

 

[AmandaLynn]

Four inches is pretty big for most mantids. The only species I know of in the U.S. that gets any bigger, is the Chinese mantis and even those are usually around 4".

 

[Katnapper]

I also agree, Stagmomantis carolina (Carolina mantis), adult female. Common in IL.

 

[PhilinYuma]

I also agree, Stagmomantis carolina (Carolina mantis), adult female. Common in IL.

Yeah, everyone agrees, because everyone is right. She is S. carolina because of her size, color, the spot on her upper wings and overall shape. She is an adult because she has wings and a female because of her fat tummy (the males take much better care of themselves ) and the fact that her wings are not long enough to cover her abdomen.

 

[mantidsaresweet]

I have never heard of a 4 inch S. carolina before

 

[Rick]

Yes that is a carolina mantis. She is fully grown and isn't four inches.