Animal Species:Garden Mantid
The Garden Mantid is probably the most common praying mantid seen in Sydney. The family Mantidae, to which it belongs, includes almost 75% of all praying mantid species in Australia.
Identification
The Garden Mantid is blue-green with a bright blue to purple spot on the inside of its fore legs.
Size range
4 cm
Distribution
The Garden Mantid is found throughout Australia.
Habitat
The Garden Mantid lives in suburban gardens and may be seen leaping among the leaves.
Feeding and Diet
The Garden Mantid is carnivorous and feeds on small insects including aphids.
Life cycle
Many species of praying mantids have distinctive egg cases or 'ootheca'. The ootheca of the Garden Mantid is about 2 cm in length and is hard and woody. It is often seen attached to fences, buildings, fly screens or vegetation.
Classification
- Species:
- ministralis
- Genus:
- Orthodera
- Family:
- Mantidae
- Superfamily:
- Mantodea
- Order:
- Mantodea
- Class:
- Insecta
- Subphylum:
- Uniramia
- Phylum:
- Arthopoda
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
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Tags mantises, insects, arthropods, invertebrates, identification,