Praying Mantis Species & Morph Identifier

What is the Praying Mantis Species & Morph Identifier?

The Praying Mantis Species & Morph Identifier identifies likely species or morph of praying mantises from color and pattern cues. Knowing what you're working with shapes everything from diet and housing to expected size and temperament. That is useful for new owners and shelters alike.

A well-cared-for praying mantis usually lives somewhere between 1 and 2 years. As an insectivore, what a praying mantis needs from its diet changes across its life stages. Mantises need an enclosure at least three times their body length in height so they can hang upside down to molt. A fall during molting is the single most common cause of death in captivity. The usual suspects for this species are failed molt from insufficient height or humidity, dehydration, injury from live prey, so any noticeable change is worth following up.

How does the Praying Mantis Species & Morph Identifier work?

The result is based on matching the traits you describe against commonly documented characteristics for praying mantises, not genetic testing. Treat the result as a well-founded estimate. Every praying mantis is an individual, and your vet's judgement outranks any online tool.

Factors that matter

• Physical traits such as size: coloring and markings
• Behavioral traits: which can be just as informative as appearance for some questions
• Age: since juvenile traits can differ noticeably from adult ones
• Photo or description quality: the more specific your input, the more useful the match

How do you use the Praying Mantis Species & Morph Identifier?

1. Pick your adult size (Very small, Small, Medium, ...)
2. Pick your coat length (Hairless or very short, Short and dense, Medium, ...)
3. Pick your ear carriage (Erect, Folded or dropped, Semi-erect, ...)
4. Pick your overall build (Slender and fine-boned, Balanced, Stocky and heavy-boned)
5. Pick your dominant color pattern (Solid single color, Two-tone or bicolour, Brindle, merle, tabby or ticked, ...)
6. Press Calculate, then read the result alongside the sources listed below

Use this alongside your own observation, not instead of it. You notice changes in your praying mantis that no calculator can pick up.

For related questions, see the other identification tools or browse every praying mantis tool.

Before you rely on this

Averages hide a lot of variation. The figure here reflects what is typical for praying mantises, but your praying mantis may sit well outside it for perfectly ordinary reasons. Use the result to spot changes over time in your own animal rather than to compare it against other people's pets.