 |
| can praying mantis change color |
Can Praying Mantis Change Color? The Science of Mantis Camouflage
If you've ever spotted a praying mantis in your garden, you might have noticed that they come in different colors—some green, some brown, and occasionally even pink or white. This natural variation leads many people to wonder: can praying mantis change color like chameleons to match their surroundings? The answer is fascinating and more nuanced than a simple yes or no. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the science behind mantis coloration, how and when they can change color, and what recent scientific research has revealed about these remarkable insects.
Understanding can praying mantis change color involves exploring environmental factors like temperature and humidity, the molting process, and even differences between males and females. While mantises aren't the dramatic color-changers that chameleons are, they do possess a subtle and fascinating ability to adapt their appearance over time. To deepen your understanding of these incredible insects and learn how to care for them, we highly recommend downloading the Free Praying Mantis Home Care Guide PDF. And if you want to observe mantis coloration firsthand, you can Get Free Praying Mantis (no shipping cost) and watch these fascinating creatures in your own garden.
The Short Answer: Yes, But Not Like a Chameleon
So, can praying mantis change color? The answer is yes, but with important qualifications. Mantises can change color, but they are not like chameleons that can shift hues in seconds or minutes . The color change in mantises is slow, subtle, and occurs primarily during molting, not instantaneously .
According to entomologists who specialize in studying mantises, a few species can change color from green to brown and vice versa, particularly during their nymph phase . However, this change occurs gradually over several days and is not useful for quick camouflage . As one researcher put it, mantises "aren't known to change colors in dramatic fashion like a chameleon" .
The secret weapon of the praying mantis is to take advantage of its normal color, not rapid color change. Green mantises hide in green foliage, while brown mantises do the same on brown foliage and stems . This camouflage not only protects them from predators but allows them to remain almost invisible to their prey .
What the Latest Scientific Research Reveals
A landmark study published in January 2025 in the journal Ecology and Evolution provides the most comprehensive answer to the question can praying mantis change color . Researchers reared mantis nymphs (Stagmomantis limbata) in either green or brown containers throughout their development to test whether the background color influenced their coloration .
The results showed that mantids did change color during development in response to their background, but the effect was "small and variable" . This means that while environmental factors play a role, they don't tell the whole story. The study also found that adult mantises did not show "background choice"—they don't actively choose resting spots that match their body color .
This research confirms that the answer to can praying mantis change color is yes, but the change is subtle and happens over time, not instantly. The color adaptation occurs as the mantis grows and molts, with each new exoskeleton potentially shifting slightly in hue based on environmental conditions .
Two Types of Color Change: Physiological vs. Morphological
To fully understand can praying mantis change color, it helps to know that animals use two different mechanisms for color change :
Physiological Color Change
This involves pigment migration and redistribution, taking place on a time scale of seconds to minutes. It occurs in cephalopods (like octopus and squid), fish, and reptiles—including chameleons . Mantises do NOT have this ability.
Morphological Color Change
This slower process involves the synthesis, degradation, or modification of pigments and typically occurs over hours to weeks . It's common in crustaceans, insects, and vertebrates . In some insects, including mantises, morphological color change occurs only in association with molts .
When people ask can praying mantis change color, they're usually thinking of physiological color change—the dramatic, instant shifts seen in chameleons. Mantises don't have that ability. Instead, they possess the slower, more subtle morphological color change that happens as they grow and shed their exoskeletons.
The Molting Connection: When Color Change Happens
Understanding can praying mantis change color requires understanding the molting process. Mantises shed their exoskeleton several times throughout their lives as they grow. Each molt brings them closer to adulthood, and sometimes this includes a change in color .
According to research cited by the Oregon State University Extension Service, mantises can molt or shed their skin up to seven times during a lifetime . After a molt, the new exoskeleton is soft and vulnerable. Over the next few hours or days, it hardens and develops its final pigmentation. This new cuticle is susceptible to environmental conditions, allowing the mantis to take on coloration that mimics its immediate surroundings .
In a classic experiment, researchers placed young, green mantises in an aquarium that only had brown dirt and twigs. After molting, the green mantises took on a slightly brownish hue on parts of their bodies, but it took several days and the change was not dramatic . This perfectly illustrates can praying mantis change color—yes, but slowly and subtly.
Environmental Triggers: What Influences Mantis Color?
Several environmental factors influence mantis coloration and help answer can praying mantis change color in response to their surroundings :
- Temperature: Lower humidity and higher temperatures often lead to a brown morph, while higher humidity and cooler temperatures tend to favor a green morph .
- Humidity: As mentioned above, humidity levels play a significant role in determining whether a mantis develops green or brown coloration .
- Light intensity: The brightness of the environment can influence color development .
- Background color: As the 2025 study confirmed, the color of the surrounding environment does influence mantis color, though the effect is modest .
A study in Italy found that seasonal factors were the cause of different color variations. In the early part of the season, more brown mantises were observed, while later, more green individuals appeared . Scientists hypothesized that there were more brown insects during the dry, hot period that yielded yellow and brown vegetation. Later, when temperatures moderated and humidity was high, more green insects were observed as the vegetation also greened .
Sexual Dimorphism: Males and Females Use Color Differently
The 2025 study revealed another fascinating layer to can praying mantis change color—the differences between males and females . In Stagmomantis limbata, researchers found that males and females exhibit fundamentally different color patterns .
Males showed "heterogeneous coloration"—typically a green body with a brown pronotum (the section behind the head) . This mixed coloration means males are not perfectly matched to any single background but are reasonably camouflaged against multiple backgrounds .
Females, in contrast, were more "homogeneous in color, ranging continuously from green to brown" . A female mantis tends to be either entirely green or entirely brown, making her a specialist at matching one specific type of background .
Researchers suggest that differences in mobility between the sexes explain this color dimorphism. Adult male mantises are highly mobile, flying extensively in search of receptive females . This constant movement exposes males to a variety of backgrounds—green leaves, brown twigs, and everything in between. Their generalist coloration (green body with brown pronotum) works reasonably well everywhere .
Females, however, are much more sedentary and in many species flightless . Because they remain in one area, they can afford to be color specialists—perfectly matching the specific background where they spend their entire adult lives .
The "Albino" Myth: What About White Mantises?
A common question related to can praying mantis change color involves reports of "albino" or white mantises. Many people write to garden experts describing what they think is a rare albino mantis .
The truth is that insects don't produce true albinos . What people are seeing instead is a mantis that has just molted . Immediately after shedding its old exoskeleton, a mantis is soft, pale, and almost white or translucent . It may appear whitish or cream-colored depending on the lighting and underlying tissues .
This vulnerable state lasts only a few hours to a day while the new exoskeleton hardens and darkens to its normal color . So if you see a pale or whitish mantis, you're not witnessing a rare color morph—you're witnessing the miracle of molting. An Ask Extension expert from Oregon State University confirmed this, explaining that a mantis "most likely has just molted-hence its tan coloring" .
Can Mantises See Color? The Vision Connection
An interesting aspect of can praying mantis change color involves their vision. Adding to the mystery is the fact that praying mantises are color blind, so they can't make color adjustments based on their own observations of their surroundings .
Mantis vision is fascinating and unique. Though they don't see color, mantises are the only insect with stereopsis—the ability to see in three dimensions, like humans . What mantises see is based on movement, because they don't register still images . This makes sense for an ambush predator that only needs to detect prey or predators moving nearby .
So when asking can praying mantis change color intentionally, the answer is no—they have no conscious control over their coloration and can't even see the colors they're matching .
Practical Implications for Gardeners and Mantis Keepers
Understanding can praying mantis change color has practical value for gardeners and mantis enthusiasts. The Texas Master Gardeners note that a mantis's "color can be somewhat altered by an individual to better match its specific surroundings" . This means that mantises in your garden will naturally adapt to the predominant vegetation colors over time.
If you're keeping mantises as pets, you might notice color changes after molts, especially if you maintain different environmental conditions. Higher humidity and cooler temperatures may promote greener coloration, while lower humidity and warmer temperatures may favor browner hues .
However, it's important to have realistic expectations. The color change is subtle, and you can't force a mantis to change dramatically. The outcome depends on the mantis's genetics, species, and individual variation .
For gardeners who want to attract mantises, the best approach is to provide diverse vegetation with both green and brown elements. This gives mantises options to display their natural coloration and find suitable camouflage .
Species Variation: Not All Mantises Change Color Equally
The answer to can praying mantis change color also depends on which species you're asking about. Some species are more flexible in their coloration than others .
The European mantis (Mantis religiosa) is one species known to change color from green to brown and vice versa during development . The Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) commonly exhibits both green and brown forms and can show subtle color shifts .
Other species are more fixed in their coloration. The large brown mantis (Archimantis latistyla) is naturally brown, while some tropical species maintain vibrant colors like pink, white, or yellow throughout their lives .
The orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) is a particularly striking example. Native to Southeast Asia, these mantises display beautiful pink and white coloration that mimics orchid flowers—a coloration that doesn't change but is fixed for camouflage and hunting .
Conclusion: The Subtle Art of Mantis Camouflage
So, can praying mantis change color? The evidence shows that yes, they can—but not in the dramatic, instantaneous way that chameleons do . Mantises possess a subtle, slow color change ability that occurs primarily during molting, allowing them to adapt gradually to their environment .
Let's review the key points about mantis color change:
- Color change is morphological, not physiological—it happens slowly over days, not seconds
- Most color change occurs during molting, when the new exoskeleton develops
- Temperature, humidity, light intensity, and background color all influence coloration
- The effect is subtle and variable, not dramatic transformation
- Males and females of the same species may use different camouflage strategies
- Mantises are color blind, so they can't consciously match their surroundings
- "Albino" mantises are actually individuals that have just molted
The praying mantis reminds us that nature's adaptations are often more subtle than we imagine. Instead of flashy, instant color changes, mantises evolved a quieter strategy—slow adaptation over time, combined with an initial color palette that allows them to blend in naturally with their surroundings. This approach has served them well for millions of years.
We hope this guide has answered your questions about mantis coloration and deepened your appreciation for these incredible insects. To continue learning about mantis care and biology, we invite you to download the Free Praying Mantis Home Care Guide PDF today. It's packed with expert information on mantis behavior, including detailed sections on coloration and camouflage. And if you're ready to observe these fascinating creatures in your own garden, click here to Get Free Praying Mantis (no shipping cost) and start watching their subtle color adaptations unfold in your own backyard.