What Do Praying Mantises Eat?

mktpromeal
Oct 5
6 min read

Praying mantises are natural-born hunters. With their sharp reflexes and spiny forelegs, they catch and eat live prey with incredible accuracy. Their diet is one of the most fascinating parts of their life. Below is a detailed, point-wise guide that explains everything about what mantises eat, both in the wild and in captivity.

1. Natural Diet in the Wild

In their natural environment, praying mantises eat whatever live prey they can catch. They are opportunistic hunters, meaning they don’t have a fixed menu — they eat anything that moves and is small enough to overpower.

Baby mantises, also called nymphs, start by eating tiny insects such as aphids, gnats, and fruit flies. These small prey are perfect because they are easy to grab and digest. As the mantis grows, it becomes strong enough to catch bigger insects like moths, grasshoppers, beetles, and crickets. Large adult mantises are even capable of tackling surprisingly big prey, such as frogs, lizards, and in rare cases, even small birds like hummingbirds.

This adaptability makes mantises powerful predators and explains why they play such an important role in maintaining balance in ecosystems.

2. Captive Diet for Pet Mantises

In captivity, praying mantises require a steady supply of live insects. Unlike some other pets, they cannot eat pellets, dried foods, or anything processed. Their natural hunting instinct is triggered only by movement, which means every meal must be alive. Providing the right type of prey at each stage of growth is essential for their survival and healthy development.

Diet for Hatchlings (Nymphs)

When mantises first hatch, they are tiny and fragile. At this stage, they can only handle very small prey.

Fruit Flies (Drosophila melanogaster): These are the most common food for newly hatched mantises and are easy to culture at home.
Pinhead Crickets: Soft-bodied and appropriately sized for small mantises.
Springtails: Tiny jumping insects that are safe and nutritious.

Hatchlings should be fed daily, as their rapid growth requires constant energy.

Diet for Juveniles

As mantises molt and grow, they can begin to eat larger insects. Their diet at this stage should include:

Houseflies: A favorite food that provides good protein.
Small Crickets: Readily available feeder insects, easy for juveniles to catch.
Moths: Soft-bodied prey that is easy to digest.
Mealworms (cut into pieces): Can be offered occasionally, though they should not become the main diet.
Small Roaches: Non-pest species like dubia or lateralis roach nymphs are excellent.

Juveniles typically eat every 1–2 days. Providing a variety of prey helps prevent nutritional deficiencies.

Diet for Adult Mantises

Adult mantises are capable hunters that can take on much larger prey. Their diet may include:

Large Crickets or Locusts: A staple feeder insect, high in protein.
Roaches: Species like dubia roaches are safe and nutritious.
Beetles: Soft-bodied beetles can be fed occasionally.
Moths and Butterflies: Natural prey that mantises enjoy.
Superworms or Mealworms: Should be offered only as treats, since they are harder to digest.

Adults do not need daily feeding. One or two good-sized insects every 2–3 days are usually enough.

Important Feeding Precautions

Never feed wild-caught insects: They may carry pesticides, parasites, or diseases.
Follow the prey size rule: Prey should never be larger than the mantis’s head, to avoid injury.
Do not overfeed: A slightly rounded abdomen indicates a well-fed mantis. Overfeeding can reduce lifespan.
Avoid overcrowding prey: Leaving multiple insects in the enclosure may stress the mantis or harm it during molting.

3. Feeding Frequency

How often a mantis eats depends largely on its age and size.

Baby mantises (nymphs) grow very quickly and therefore need to eat almost every day. A single fruit fly may not be enough, so feeding them multiple small insects daily ensures steady growth.
Juveniles can be fed every 1–2 days, as they eat slightly larger prey that keeps them full longer.
Adult mantises require even less frequent feeding — once every 2–3 days is usually enough. They eat larger insects that provide more nutrition in a single meal.

You can check whether your mantis is well-fed by looking at its abdomen. A slightly rounded belly means it is satisfied, while a thin, flat abdomen is a sign it needs food.

4. Rule of Prey Size

A key rule in feeding mantises is: never give prey larger than the mantis’s head.

Oversized prey can cause serious problems. Large crickets or beetles can injure the mantis with bites or kicks. Sometimes, prey that is too large may stress the mantis, causing it to ignore food altogether. On the other hand, appropriately sized prey ensures safe feeding and is easier for the mantis to catch and digest.

This rule keeps feeding stress-free and prevents injuries.

5. What Not to Feed

Not all insects are safe for mantises, and choosing the wrong food can harm them.

You should never feed wild-caught insects because they may be contaminated with pesticides or parasites, which can make the mantis sick or kill it. Similarly, avoid giving prey that is too large, as this poses a risk of injury. Mantises also cannot eat processed food, human food, or dead insects — their digestive system is designed only for live prey.

To ensure safety, always source feeder insects from trusted pet stores, insect breeders, or breed them yourself at home.

6. Water & Hydration

Praying mantises do not drink water from bowls like reptiles or mammals. Instead, they rely on water droplets in their environment.

In captivity, the best way to keep them hydrated is to mist the enclosure lightly with clean water once a day. The mantis will sip the tiny droplets from leaves, twigs, or the enclosure walls. However, you must be careful not to over-mist, as too much moisture can lead to mold growth, which stresses the mantis and creates an unhealthy environment.

This simple misting routine ensures your mantis stays hydrated without the risk of drowning or infection.

7. Hunting Behavior While Eating

One of the most fascinating things about mantises is watching how they hunt and eat. Mantises are ambush predators. They sit perfectly still, blending into their surroundings, and wait patiently for prey to come within striking distance. When the moment is right, they strike with incredible speed, using their spiny front legs to grab and hold the prey tightly. Once caught, they start eating immediately — usually from the head or thorax — and chew their meal alive.

The process can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the insect. This natural hunting behavior is one of the main reasons mantises are so captivating to observe in captivity.

8. Role of Diet in Gardens

Praying mantises are not only exotic pets but also important allies in gardens.

They eat a wide range of pests such as caterpillars, moths, flies, grasshoppers, and aphids, which makes them a form of natural pest control. Many gardeners introduce mantises into their gardens instead of using chemical pesticides. However, mantises are not selective — they will also eat beneficial insects such as bees, butterflies, and ladybugs.

Even with this drawback, they remain a valuable part of the garden ecosystem because they help reduce populations of destructive pests naturally.

Praying mantises are strict carnivores that survive entirely on live prey. From tiny fruit flies for babies to larger crickets and roaches for adults, their diet changes as they grow. They need to be fed at the right frequency, given prey that is appropriately sized, and hydrated through daily misting. Watching a mantis hunt and eat is one of the most rewarding experiences for keepers.

Whether in the wild or in your home, mantises are truly fascinating predators that remind us of the power and beauty of nature.

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Our specialty is premium live and dried insect-based feeds like mealworms, superworms, crickets, roaches, waxworms, and hornworms. These insects are grown on an organic diet, making them a nutritious and tasty treat for your pets.

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