False Garden Mantid Click to enlarge image
False Garden Mantid Image: Damon Wills
© Damon Wills

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Pseudomantis
    Species
    albofimbriata
    Family
    Mantidae
    Order
    Mantodea
    Class
    Insecta
    Subphylum
    Uniramia
    Phylum
    Arthopoda
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    3.7 cm - 5.0 cm

Introduction

The False Garden Mantid is a member of the family Mantidae, which includes almost 75% of praying mantids in Australia.

Identification

The False Garden Mantid can be green or brown and is almost always seen alone, except when individuals come together to mate.

Habitat

The False Garden Mantid lives in urban areas, forests and woodlands.

Distribution

The False Garden Mantid is found in Queensland and coastal New South Wales.



Feeding and diet

It is a popular misconception that all female mantids eat the males either during or after mating. This may be the case with only a few species. Female False Garden Mantids are larger than the males and are unable to fly.