Insect · GBIF taxon 5887934
Chinese Mantis
Tenodera sinensisAlso known as Chinese Praying Mantis
Chinese mantises are formidable ambush predators that blend seamlessly into garden vegetation using green and brown camouflage. Adults rely on powerful, spined front legs to snap up insects, spiders, and occasionally small vertebrates like tiny frogs or hummingbirds. Females deposit durable, foamy egg cases called oothecae on plant stems before autumn frosts end their adult life cycle.
PredatoryInvasiveDiurnal
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Moths
- Grasshoppers
- Crickets
Predators
- Birds
- Bats
- Lizards
ThreatsPesticides, autumn frosts
HabitatsMeadows, gardens, brush, agricultural fields
Life span6–9 months
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderMantodea
- FamilyMantidae
- GenusTenodera
- SpeciesTenodera sinensis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Capable of delivering a minor pinch with its front legs if handled; observe without grabbing.
Responsible observation
- Finding adults: Look near flowering goldenrod or garden shrubs during late summer and early fall.
- Safe handling: Gently coax the insect onto an open palm instead of grasping its body.
- Identifying oothecae: Search shrub branches in winter for firm, round, tan egg cases.
Native Competitor Kaldari / Public domain · cc0
Introduced Relative "European Mantis - Mantis religiosa" by Björn S... is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. · cc-by-sa
Close Relative no rights reserved · cc0
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