Mantis ID in Savannah GA - Mantis walking on Spiderweb!

In Savannah GA, I saw a mantis a few months ago and I've been meaning to get an ID.  So, there is a sign that is held up by 2 wooden post.  There is about 3 or 4 feet in between the posts and there was an old spiderweb that was built between the post.  I say an "old spiderweb" because it had been abandoned by the spider for a few days.  I was standing by the sign, and I noticed, what I thought was a "daddy long legs" type spider walking in the web.  After looking a little closer, I realized that it was not a spider at all, but a long legged mantis walking on the spiderweb!!!

The mantis was a light tan color, a few instars away from being an adult, about 2.5" in length, very long "daddy long legs" type legs (6 of course), and what was amazing, is that it was actually walking on the web and it wasn't getting caught!  The mantis stayed walking on the web for a few hours, then walked off onto the sign and I didn't get to see where it went after that.  Are mantis known to walk on webs?  I've never heard of such a thing!

I wish I had a photo, but I didn't have anything to take photos with at the time. 

What type of spiderweb walking mantis did I see? 

B. borealis?

I would say perhaps the grass mantis Thesprotia graminis. They have extremely thin legs similar to what you described. And are small too. Look up pictures of them and see if it looks like what you saw. They do live in your state.

MrGhostMantis said:

B. borealis?

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Maybe not . . . too green and long body with too short legs.

Mystymantis said:

I would say perhaps the grass mantis Thesprotia graminis. They have extremely thin legs similar to what you described. And are small too. Look up pictures of them and see if it looks like what you saw. They do live in your state.

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This may have been it.  The color is right, with long skinny legs!

But what about the "walking on a spider web" aspect?  Is there another account of Thesprotia graminis (or any other mantis) being able to walk on a spider web???

Thanks!!!

Acro said:

Maybe not . . . too green and long body with too short legs.

This may have been it.  The color is right, with long skinny legs!

But what about the "walking on a spider web" aspect?  Is there another account of Thesprotia graminis (or any other mantis) being able to walk on a spider web???

Thanks!!!

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Not that I have heard of. Forgot that species existed for a minute there

It would be possible for it to have eaten the spider and have been just walking around there if the web was covered in dust so it didn’t get stuck. They are certainly light enough to not get stuck to a slight sticky part of a web.

MrGhostMantis said:

Not that I have heard of. Forgot that species existed for a minute there

It would be possible for it to have eaten the spider and have been just walking around there if the web was covered in dust so it didn’t get stuck. They are certainly light enough to not get stuck to a slight sticky part of a web.

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I know the spider was gone for a few days, weather or not the mantis ate it, I don't know.  

But yeah, that area gets real dusty from the road, could have been less sticky.  I was just amazed at how precisely the mantis navigated the web!  I really did think it was a spider at first.