European (L) & Chinese (R) Praying Mantis
Michigan has two species of Praying Mantis: The European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) and the Chinese Praying Mantis (Tenodera aridifolia). As the common names imply, neither one is a native species.
European Praying Mantis
The European Praying Mantis has a black spot, often with white “bull’s-eye,” on its upper front legs. The color of the forewings is uniform.
Chinese Praying Mantis
The Chinese Praying Mantis lacks the spot on the front leg. The forewings are tan with a green front edge. This species is longer on the average than the European Mantis but the sizes overlap.
Praying Mantises were introduced by gardeners because they eat insects. Hopefully they consume more harmful insects than good insects. I have often seen a Praying Mantis eating a bee or other beneficial pollinator.
Mantis Eggcase and hatchlings
The egg masses overwinter on an exposed stem. In Michigan, the hatching time is late May or early June. The nymphs are tiny versions of the adults without wings. They hatch by the hundreds and quickly disperse because they are cannibals. It takes six to eight molts for them to reach the adult stage. Mating and egg laying take place in September or early October. Contrary to popular belief the female does not always eat the male after mating with him. This rumor started when laboratory raised mantis were mated. The females had not been properly fed. If the female is hungry then she will try to make a meal out of her mate. It is estimated that 30% of the matings in nature end with the male being consumed.
I always enjoy finding a Praying Mantis. Autumn is when I find most of them; as they grow, they become easier to find. They are also out looking for mates and a practiced eye can spot them. Get out and look for them. I often find them in my yard.
Copyright 2013 by Donald Drife
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Great article, Thank you !
I just saw a Chinese praying mantis on our front step. My husband and I were fascinated.
Nice article and wonderful photos! I learned something here! Thank you!
I had no idea there were Praying Mantis in Michigan. My dad has lived in the UP of Michigan all his life and never seen one until today. I just pulled a live one out of the swimming pool. Do they usually make it this far North? (We live just outside of Marquette.)
Sarah,
Both species of Praying Mantis are common in the Lower Peninsula; in fact, we have a lot more of them than in previous years. The summers in the Upper Peninsula are probably not long enough for them to mature and breed, so the ones you are seeing may have come from purchased egg cases. The blog article below talks about raising them in Atlantic Mine, MI. However, if our seasons continue to stretch out you may have a breeding population of them soon.
http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2011/11/26/chinese-mantis-raised-from-egg-case/
I have seen them at Wilderness State Park in the Mackinaw area but never in the Upper Peninsula.
I just saw my first Chinese Praying Mantis! I have always been interested in “bugs” and every year see many of the European mantises. This Chinese mantis was huge and very colorful. Thanks for posting this information with such good photos – I never knew Michigan had two species.
I just saw one on my neighbors house I was about 4 inches long
thanks!! Im starting to breed them and i need to find information
Great article… informative enough I had to make sure I put the oothecae outside after she layed 3 of them…
We found a European Mantis (mantis regliosa) outside the day before the temperature dropped here in Michigan… she was on our window sill, so we put her in our indoor garden and she has been happy and healthy ever since.
This will be my first attempt at hatching any live insects, and I am hoping I can raise enough for the garden and stuff for next spring and summer…maybe a couple to a pet store… They are fascinating creatures!
I figure a couple weeks and I will bring them in to hatch and care for… wish me luck!
I leave mine outside in a protected area. The young insects will eat one another so they need to be kept apart.
I’m in Michigan and I just found a Mantis outside on the brick wall. I thought it was dead because it’s so cold and has been.
I brought it in the house gently and set it on the window sill, to see if “just in case” it just needed warmth. It did and it’s moving around. I put it in my garage because it’s heated and I rarely open the doors in winter. Is it ok to leave it there or should I put it back outside?
Praying Mantis do not overwinter as adults. Friends have kept them in captivity for a year but this is rare.
I just found a praying mantis trying to climb up a brick wall to a light. Amazing huge creature! Good for her to make it this long in the season!
Are these 2 mantids considered invasive species, since they’re not native to WI and MI? or just naturalized like house mice, dandelions, etc.? I have yet to see one so I am guessing they are not harmful in the aspect of overpopulation.
I have never seen them on a list of invasive species. I do not find them in large numbers. Also, I know of no invasive species that eats others of its species.
I wonder if they are not good to keep around since they are not native?
I don’t go out and buy egg cases for my garden. However if a mantis shows up I leave it alone. I had two in my garden last year that fed mainly on Japanese beetles.
There is a Chinese praying mantis in my house on my blinds right now 😑 how did he get in and who is gonna get him out 😂!! I’ve seen. There was a European one on my wall last year about 5 inches long! I stay in Detroit. Why am I seeing so many?
They are fairly easy to move around if they will cling to a piece of newspaper. I guess you are seeing so many because you are lucky. They are a beneficial insect.
I have seen them around our house quite frequently out in Jackson… both types!!!
We live right on the border of Hartland/Fenton area. This was my 1st year without using any sort of pesticides in the gardens and I’ve seen probably close to a dozen of the Chinese mantises, over the last few months…had to move 5
of them to better areas, so they didn’t get hurt(ran over/mowed over/stepped on/eaten by the “outside kitties” we have). Absolutely amazing and fascinating creatures. I love having them around.
I found a Chinese praying mantis on my door less that a day ago. It was suprisingly friendly and crawled up on my hand and sat there for a solid ten minutes! It was fascinating and flew off, and I’ve been drawing and researching these creatures since; their anatomy is so cool!
Just watch your hummingbird feeders. They are known to attack and slowly eat these little birds.
There have been very few documented cases of this occurring. I do, however, remove a mantis if I see one on a hummingbird feeder.
We find the Chinese version smack in the middle of our popular parking lot at our Apt. Complex. The ground is warm so maybe thats why. I was afraid they would get run over so tried to let them crawl on me to move them to safer ground. They got a little mad and used their front feet to scratch me. Its a bit irritated but thats ok. These creatures are just amazing and I am glad we have them here.
Just found a huge one one my window! Had it in my hands letting it walk up my arm. Grand kids never seen one so they were amazed. Put him right back where he was found.
I’ve had many Carolina Mantids on my property as well, and they are native to North America. I’m in Howell, Michigan. 🙂
Stink bugs are coming out in my bathroom, NOW! It’s -12 degrees this week!!!!! Yuck! I’m assuming they have taken cover in the attic. Is it a good idea to release Praying Mantis’s directly in my attic? I understand stink bugs are a treat for them!
I’m not sure this would work even if you could find adult Praying Mantis this time of year. I would hope they just go away.
I own a wild female European praying mantis, she is the cutest thing
It’s sept 19th in se much and found a tiny black mantis 1” long. I’ve caught a number of large ones over the years and on string attached on thier waist they would stay in my flower garden feasting on bugs. But I’ve never seen one like this.
It is probably a Wasp Mantidfly. There are several species. There should not be young Praying Mantis in September. http://www.michigannatureguy.com/blog/2014/02/08/wasp-mantidfly/
I have never seen one here. Been in this house 9 yrs. All of a sudden we have found three in the last week. And one was small. About half the size of the larger ones. In SE MI
Hi. I found a praying mantis egg sac on branch of one my potato plants…after I cut it out of the garden. Do you happen to know how I can keep it safe for the winter, so it will hatch in the spring? I am thinking just tie the piece of branch that is attached to the sacto a branch of my sage bush, because that is one place where they erupted from this past spring. Thank you.
That sounds like a good plan. Tie it to a woody plant and leave it till spring.
I was sitting on a bench on a sunny day outside the Library of Michigan, perhaps 30 years ago and noticed the most beautiful, green praying mantis next to me. Beguiling, locust-like. Gorgeous shade of green, big head, big eyes, front limbs locked in a prayer. It was one of my best life experiences ever.
This is definitely not my first time referring to your site! Thanks so much for all the information and amazing pictures! I genuinely appreciate you for all you do. Thank you!!
Just spotted a large green praying mantis in Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan yesterday! I took an awesome photo. Thanks for sharing, I had no idea we had them in Michigan.
I took in a mantis that had been hanging around my front window a couple days late October. She has laid 3 Oothecas in the months since.
Her diet is strictly crickets and she seems to drink water from the tip of a spoon sometimes when I offer.
I can tell she’s not as strong or quick, but still can handle grabbing a large cricket and eat most of one daily.
My question is, how long can she survive? I assume she would’ve died out in the cold.
I have never kept one. I don’t think they will live through the winter. Let me know how she does. She would definitely have died already in the cold.