Question About Mantid Flying

[GayJerk]

Hello! I know that some mantids can fly but I was curious to know if anyone has ever lost a praying mantis in their room? I am a bit wary of anything that flies, I just don't like the sound all that much but I would be fine if my future pet mantid for some reason decided to take a joyride around my room. When they fly is it more like a calculated flight or just a jump-glide? Thank you in advance!

 

[Krissim Klaw]

Flight capabilities vary some depending on species and sex of the mantis. Female mantises get heavy with eggs and tend to only jump-glide, or as I prefer to call it, fall slightly slower. In some species the females don't even get full wings but only half wings or tiny nubs. The males on the other hand are much lighter and can really get going. Typically you can minimize them flying if you take them out during the day. Most males do their roaming at night. Inside I find most males don't fly around as much as they will fly until they slam into the first object in their path, which usually doesn't take long in a room. It is possible to loose them in a room with a lot of stuff, especially if you have one of the smaller species in a more cluttered room. You need to be mindful of any lights. Like a lot of bugs they can end up spiraling into the light so you don't want anything too hot to touch turned on while they are free roaming. I would also be mindful of any air vents.

 

[GayJerk]

Flight capabilities vary some depending on species and sex of the mantis. Female mantises get heavy with eggs and tend to only jump-glide, or as I prefer to call it, fall slightly slower. In some species the females don't even get full wings but only half wings or tiny nubs. The males on the other hand are much lighter and can really get going. Typically you can minimize them flying if you take them out during the day. Most males do their roaming at night. Inside I find most males don't fly around as much as they will fly until they slam into the first object in their path, which usually doesn't take long in a room. It is possible to loose them in a room with a lot of stuff, especially if you have one of the smaller species in a more cluttered room. You need to be mindful of any lights. Like a lot of bugs they can end up spiraling into the light so you don't want anything too hot to touch turned on while they are free roaming. I would also be mindful of any air vents.

Thank you very much! I knew that it varied by sex but I didn't know if all mantids had flight capable wings. Is there any species you could recommend to me that don't (or can't) fly much? I wouldn't mind the flying but I'd prefer a species that didn't fly.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

Thank you very much! I knew that it varied by sex but I didn't know if all mantids had flight capable wings. Is there any species you could recommend to me that don't (or can't) fly much? I wouldn't mind the flying but I'd prefer a species that didn't fly.

Rather than species you are probably best off purchasing nymphs that are old enough to be sexed as female. As I mentioned female mantises tend to only flutter hop on occasion from place to place. If you want you could say look into something from the Stagmomantis genus such as Stagmomantis carolina, Stagmomantis californica, or Stagmomantis limbata and such as the females get stubbier wings, but really I doubt you will have a problem with any female mantises in general.

 

[GayJerk]

Rather than species you are probably best off purchasing nymphs that are old enough to be sexed as female. As I mentioned female mantises tend to only flutter hop on occasion from place to place. If you want you could say look into something from the Stagmomantis genus such as Stagmomantis carolina, Stagmomantis californica, or Stagmomantis limbata and such as the females get stubbier wings, but really I doubt you will have a problem with any female mantises in general.

Okay! I was just curious, thank you again for your help!