what do praying mantises eat

What Do Praying Mantises Eat? The Complete Diet Guide for Nature's Perfect Predator

Here's a question that reveals the true nature of one of the insect world's most formidable hunters: what does an animal with lightning-fast strikes, spiny grasping legs, and the ability to turn its head 180 degrees actually consume? The answer is far more extensive and surprising than most people imagine. The praying mantis is an indiscriminate carnivore that will eat virtually anything it can catch and overpower . From tiny fruit flies to hummingbirds, the mantis menu spans an astonishing range of prey that has earned it a reputation as one of nature's most effective predators .

Understanding what mantises eat isn't just fascinating biology—it's essential knowledge for anyone keeping them as pets, attracting them to gardens, or simply wanting to understand their role in ecosystems. A single mantis can consume dozens of insects over its lifetime, making it a powerful ally in natural pest control . But that same appetite extends to beneficial insects like bees and butterflies, creating a complex relationship with human-managed environments. For mantis keepers, providing appropriate nutrition means the difference between a healthy, long-lived pet and one that struggles through molts or dies prematurely. Resources like free sample packs can help establish the feeder insect colonies needed to meet your mantis's dietary requirements at every life stage.

The Short Answer: What Do Praying Mantises Eat?

Let's address the core question directly: praying mantises are carnivorous insects that eat almost exclusively other animals, primarily insects and arachnids, but occasionally small vertebrates as well .

Key points about mantis diet:

Live prey only: Mantises are triggered by movement and will not eat dead insects
Generalist predators: They eat whatever they can catch and overpower
Opportunistic hunters: Diet varies based on what's available in their habitat
Cannibalistic: They readily eat other mantises, especially when crowded or hungry
Vertebrate prey possible: Large mantises occasionally catch small vertebrates

This broad diet reflects the mantis's evolutionary strategy as an ambush predator—they don't specialize on specific prey but instead consume whatever wanders within striking range.

The Hunting Strategy: How Mantises Capture Prey

Understanding how mantises hunt explains what they can eat.

The Ambush Predator
Mantises are sit-and-wait predators. They remain motionless for hours or even days, camouflaged against vegetation, waiting for prey to wander within striking range. This energy-conserving strategy allows them to survive long periods between meals while remaining ready to explode into action when opportunity arises .

The Strike
When prey comes within range, the mantis strikes with blinding speed. The strike takes just 50-70 milliseconds—faster than the human eye can follow . The raptorial front legs extend outward, then snap shut, trapping the prey between spiny tibia and femur. Once captured, escape is virtually impossible; the spines interlock, creating an inescapable cage .

The Meal
The mantis begins eating immediately, typically starting with the head or neck to immobilize the prey quickly . Using powerful mandibles, it tears and consumes the prey piece by piece. Mantises are messy eaters, often dropping bits of exoskeleton and wings as they feed. A large meal can take hours to consume completely .

Size Limitations
While mantises can take surprisingly large prey, they do have limits. The primary constraint is their ability to physically subdue the prey with their front legs. If prey is too large or powerful, it may escape or even injure the mantis. As a general rule, mantises can safely consume prey up to their own body size, and occasionally up to twice their size with successful ambushes .

The Complete Praying Mantis Diet: By Prey Type

Mantises eat an enormous variety of prey. Here's a comprehensive breakdown by category.

Insects: The Primary Food Source

The vast majority of a mantis's diet consists of other insects . This includes:

Crickets and Grasshoppers:

Staple food for many mantis species
Easily caught in vegetation where both live
Provide good nutrition when gut-loaded
Wild mantises consume enormous numbers of these crop pests

Flies:

House flies, blow flies, and other flying insects
Captured in mid-air by skilled hunters
Excellent food for mantises of all sizes
Nymphs eat fruit flies and other small dipterans

Moths and Butterflies:

Attracted to lights where mantises often hunt
Soft-bodied and nutritious
Can be captured on flowers or in flight
Some mantis species specialize in catching Lepidoptera

Bees and Wasps:

Regularly caught on flowers
Mantises seem immune or resistant to stings
Provide good nutrition despite defensive capabilities
Garden mantises frequently consume pollinators

Beetles:

Eaten when caught, though hard exoskeletons may be challenging
Smaller beetles preferred over large, heavily armored species
Some mantises learn to avoid particularly hard beetles

Caterpillars:

Soft-bodied and nutritious
Found on foliage where mantises hunt
Easy to subdue once captured
Important prey for nymphs and smaller mantises

True Bugs (Hemiptera):

Leafhoppers, aphids, and other plant-dwelling bugs
Important food for nymphs
Abundant in many habitats

Arachnids: Spiders and Their Relatives

Mantises regularly eat spiders of various sizes . This creates an interesting predator-prey dynamic, as some spiders also eat mantises when the opportunity arises.

Spiders:

Web-building spiders caught on their webs
Wandering spiders encountered during hunting
Small to medium-sized spiders preferred
Some mantises specialize in spider predation

Harvestmen (Daddy Longlegs):

Occasionally eaten when encountered
Not true spiders but still arachnid prey

Scorpions:

Very rare, but large mantises have been documented eating small scorpions
Dangerous prey that requires careful handling

Other Mantises: Cannibalism

Mantises are notorious for eating each other . Cannibalism occurs in several contexts:

Sibling Cannibalism:

Newly hatched nymphs often eat each other if not separated
Reduces competition for food
More common when prey is scarce
Why mantises must be housed individually

Sexual Cannibalism:

Female may eat male during or after mating
Occurs in about 13-31% of wild matings
Provides nutrition for egg production
More common when female is hungry

Opportunistic Cannibalism:

Larger mantises eat smaller ones when encountered
Occurs in nature when populations are dense
Common in captivity if mantises are housed together

Vertebrate Prey: The Surprising Additions

While mantises primarily eat insects, documented observations confirm they occasionally consume small vertebrates . These cases are rare but well-documented by researchers and photographers.

Hummingbirds:

Perhaps the most shocking mantis prey is hummingbirds . Multiple documented cases exist of mantises capturing and consuming these tiny birds. Here's what happens:

Mantises ambush hummingbirds at feeders or flowers, striking when the bird lands
The mantis grips the bird's head or neck with its spiny front legs
The bird is typically unable to escape due to the mantis's grip and spines
The mantis begins eating, often starting with the head
Consumption can take several hours

While disturbing to bird lovers, these incidents are relatively rare and typically involve larger mantis species like the Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis) preying on smaller hummingbird species . If you maintain hummingbird feeders, positioning them away from dense vegetation where mantises lurk can reduce risk.

Small Lizards and Geckos:

In warmer regions, mantises have been documented catching small lizards and geckos . The ambush strategy works similarly to insect hunting: the mantis waits on vegetation where lizards forage, strikes when the reptile comes within range, and consumes it over hours or days.

Small Frogs:

Opportunistic captures of tiny amphibians occur when frogs venture too close to hunting mantises .

Small Fish:

Remarkably, some mantis species have been observed catching small fish . In captivity and rare wild observations, mantises positioned at water's edge have struck at and caught small fish near the surface. This demonstrates the mantis's ability to adapt its hunting to whatever prey presents itself.

Small Rodents:

There are isolated reports of mantises capturing very small rodents like baby mice . These cases are extremely rare and require the mantis to be exceptionally large and the rodent exceptionally small and vulnerable.

Small Snakes:

A few documented cases exist of mantises capturing and consuming tiny, newly hatched snakes . Like other vertebrate prey, these represent opportunistic feeding when the mantis encounters vulnerable individuals.

It's important to note that these vertebrate prey items represent exceptions, not the rule. The vast majority of a mantis's diet consists of insects and other arthropods . Vertebrate prey is only taken when the mantis is large enough, the prey is small and vulnerable, and opportunity presents itself.

What Praying Mantises Eat by Life Stage

Diet changes dramatically as mantises grow from tiny nymphs to large adults .

Newly Hatched Nymphs (L1-L2)

When mantises first hatch from the ootheca, they're tiny—often just a few millimeters long. At this stage, they require appropriately sized prey :

Fruit flies: Both wingless and flying varieties are ideal first foods
Aphids: Soft-bodied and abundant in spring gardens
Springtails: Tiny jumping insects found in soil and leaf litter
Thrips: Microscopic insects that infest plants
Small gnats: Fungus gnats and similar tiny flies
Micro-crickets: Newly hatched crickets (pinheads)

At this stage, nymphs need food every 1-2 days and will eat surprisingly large quantities relative to their body size. Without appropriately sized prey, they will starve or resort to cannibalism .

Growing Nymphs (L3-L6)

As mantises grow through successive molts, their prey size increases accordingly :

Small crickets: 1/4 to 1/2 inch crickets become staple foods
House flies: Captured in mid-air by skilled hunters
Moths: Small moths provide good nutrition
Grasshoppers: Small grasshoppers and nymphs
Cockroach nymphs: Small dubia or other roach species
Waxworms: Soft-bodied larvae (in moderation)
Mealworms: Small mealworms, though the hard exoskeleton can be challenging
Spiders: Small spiders of various species

At this stage, mantises become more adventurous and will attempt to catch flying insects, developing the coordination needed for adult hunting .

Subadult and Adult Mantises (L7-Adult)

Adult mantises are capable of taking the largest prey :

Large crickets: Adult crickets up to 1 inch or larger
Grasshoppers: Full-sized grasshoppers and locusts
Moths and butterflies: Including fairly large species
Flies: Bluebottles, greenbottles, and other large flies
Bees and wasps: Mantises regularly catch and eat stinging insects (they seem immune or resistant to venom)
Beetles: Various beetle species, though hard shells may be rejected
Cockroaches: Adult dubia, hissing, or other roach species
Caterpillars: Large, soft-bodied caterpillars
Dragonflies: Occasionally caught by skilled hunters near water
Other mantises: Cannibalism is common, especially during mating

Adult females, with their larger size and greater nutritional needs for egg production, are capable of taking the largest prey and will eat more frequently than males .

Seasonal Variations in Wild Mantis Diet

In nature, mantis diet changes with seasonal prey availability .

Spring Diet

When mantises hatch in spring, they feed on:

Aphids and other small, soft-bodied insects
Tiny caterpillars
Small flies and gnats
Springtails and other soil-dwelling arthropods
Each other (sibling cannibalism when food is scarce)

Summer Diet

As mantises grow and prey becomes abundant, summer diet expands:

Grasshoppers and crickets
Moths and butterflies
Bees, wasps, and other flying insects
Spiders and other arachnids
Beetles and true bugs
Caterpillars of all kinds
Other mantises (cannibalism increases as populations grow)

Fall Diet

In fall, as temperatures drop and prey becomes scarce:

Remaining insects of all types
Late-season grasshoppers and crickets
Any available prey before frost
Increased cannibalism as food becomes scarce
Occasional vertebrate prey as desperation increases

What Praying Mantises Eat in Captivity: A Pet Owner's Guide

If you keep mantises as pets, providing appropriate food is essential for health, growth, and longevity .

Staple Feeder Insects

These insects form the foundation of a healthy captive mantis diet :

Crickets: The most common feeder insect. Gut-load (feed nutritious food) before offering to mantises. Available in various sizes from pinheads to adults.
Fruit flies: Essential for tiny nymphs; available in wingless and flying varieties. Drosophila melanogaster (small) and Drosophila hydei (larger) cover different nymph sizes.
Dubia roaches: Excellent nutrition, easy to keep, and don't climb smooth surfaces. Available in many sizes.
House flies: Great for nymphs and adults; can be cultured at home or purchased as pupae.
Bluebottle flies: Larger than house flies, excellent for larger mantises.
Greenbottle flies: Similar to bluebottles, good nutrition.
Grasshoppers/locusts: Excellent nutrition but can be challenging to source; hoppers must be small enough for your mantis.
Waxworms: High-fat treat, not suitable as staple food. Use sparingly.
Mealworms: Can be offered but hard exoskeleton may be difficult for some mantises; smaller mealworms preferred.
Silkworms: Excellent nutrition, soft-bodied, highly recommended for larger mantises.
Moths: Can be cultured or caught (from pesticide-free areas).

Feeding Frequency by Age

How often to feed depends on mantis age and size :

L1-L3 nymphs: Feed daily or every other day, providing 2-3 appropriately sized prey items
L4-L6 nymphs: Feed every 2-3 days, providing 3-4 prey items
L7-subadult: Feed every 3-4 days, providing 4-5 prey items
Adults: Feed every 3-5 days, providing 3-5 prey items depending on size
Females producing oothecae: Feed more frequently (every 2-3 days) with larger prey
Pre-molt: May refuse food for 3-10 days before molting (normal)

Always observe your mantis's abdomen. A well-fed mantis has a rounded, full abdomen. A flat or concave abdomen indicates underfeeding .

What NOT to Feed Mantises

Some foods are dangerous or inappropriate for mantises :

Wild-caught insects from treated areas: May contain pesticides that will kill your mantis
Fireflies/lightning bugs: Toxic to mantises (and most other animals)
Very hard-bodied beetles: Difficult to digest, may cause impaction
Prey larger than the mantis: Risk of injury to the mantis
Dead insects: Mantises only eat live, moving prey
Human food: Mantises cannot digest plant matter or processed foods
Vertebrate prey in captivity: Generally unnecessary and potentially harmful
Ants: Can fight back and injure mantises; also may have formic acid
Venomous spiders: Risk to mantis (though they sometimes eat them in wild)

Gut-Loading and Dusting

To maximize nutrition, enhance feeder insects before offering them :

Gut-loading: Feed crickets and roaches nutritious food (commercial gut-load diets, fresh vegetables, fruits) for 24-48 hours before offering to mantises
Calcium dusting: Lightly coat feeder insects with calcium powder (without D3) every 2-3 feedings, especially for growing nymphs and egg-producing females
Vitamin supplements: Occasional use can benefit overall health, but not strictly necessary with varied diet

Water: As Important as Food

While understanding what mantises eat is crucial, knowing how they drink is equally important for captive care .

How Mantises Drink:

Mantises don't drink from open water sources like bowls
They drink water droplets from leaves and enclosure surfaces
In captivity, mist the enclosure lightly every 1-2 days
Ensure droplets form on leaves and mesh
Allow the mantis to drink these droplets
Avoid over-misting, which can lead to mold and respiratory issues

Hydration During Starvation:

Mantises can survive longer without food than without water
Even during food scarcity, providing water through misting significantly extends survival time
Dehydrated mantises won't eat, so always ensure adequate hydration before troubleshooting food refusal

Common Questions About Mantis Diet

Here are answers to frequently asked questions about what mantises eat.

Do mantises eat ants?

Rarely. Most mantises avoid ants because they can fight back in large numbers and may spray formic acid. Small mantises might eat individual ants, but ants are not preferred prey .

Do mantises eat spiders?

Yes, regularly. Mantises and spiders are natural enemies, and each will eat the other when opportunity arises .

Do mantises eat mosquitoes?

Yes, when they can catch them. However, mosquitoes are small and fast, so they're not a major part of most mantis diets. Larger mantises prefer bigger prey .

Do mantises eat butterflies?

Yes, regularly. Butterflies visiting flowers are common mantis prey .

Do mantises eat bees?

Yes, frequently. Mantises waiting on flowers catch many bees. They seem resistant or immune to bee venom .

Do mantises eat cockroaches?

Yes, readily. Roaches are excellent feeder insects for mantises in captivity .

Do mantises eat fruit?

No. Mantises are obligate carnivores and cannot digest plant matter. They only eat other animals .

Do mantises drink water?

Yes, but only from droplets. They cannot drink from open water sources .

Do mantises eat each other?

Yes, frequently. Cannibalism is common in mantises, especially when food is scarce or when mating .

Conclusion: The Adaptable Appetite of Nature's Ambush Predator

So, what do praying mantises eat? The answer is as varied as the insect world itself, with occasional shocking forays into the vertebrate kingdom . From tiny aphids consumed by newly hatched nymphs to hummingbirds captured by large adult females, the mantis diet reflects the adaptability and opportunism of a predator perfected over 400 million years of evolution .

Understanding this diet is essential for several reasons:

For gardeners: Mantises are valuable allies in pest control, consuming vast quantities of insects that damage plants . However, they also eat beneficial insects like bees and butterflies .
For pet keepers: Providing appropriate, varied prey ensures health, successful molting, and longevity .
For bird enthusiasts: Awareness of mantis predation on hummingbirds allows protective measures at feeders .
For nature lovers: Appreciating the mantis's role in ecosystems deepens our understanding of food webs and predator-prey dynamics .

The praying mantis doesn't discriminate based on human preferences. It eats what it can catch, when it can catch it, driven by the same imperative that drives all living things: the need for energy to survive, grow, and reproduce. Whether that energy comes from a cricket, a bee, or occasionally a hummingbird, the mantis simply follows its nature as one of the insect world's most effective predators .

By understanding and respecting that nature, we can better coexist with these remarkable creatures, whether in our gardens or our homes, and appreciate the role they play in the complex web of life that surrounds us.

what do praying mantises eat