Giant Blue Mantis
Scientific name: Hierodula sp.
Common name: Giant Blue Mantis
Adult size: Around 8–10 cm
Lifespan: Around 12–18 months
📏 Size
- Large, robust praying mantis.
- Females are generally larger and heavier than males.
- Requires sufficient height for successful moulting.
🏡 Housing
- Tall, secure, well-ventilated enclosure.
- Minimum around 20 × 20 × 30 cm for an adult.
- Provide plenty of twigs and foliage for climbing and hanging.
- Leave at least 2–3× the mantis's body length of clear vertical space for moulting.
🌡️ Temperature
-
22–28°C during the day.
- Around 20–22°C at night.
- Avoid prolonged temperatures above 30°C.
💡 Lighting
- No specialist UVB is essential.
- Provide a natural 10–12 hour day/night cycle.
- Avoid intense direct lighting and excessive heat.
💧 Humidity
- Around 50–70% humidity.
- Lightly mist the enclosure regularly, allowing it to dry between mistings.
- Good ventilation is essential.
🦗 Food
- Feed appropriately sized live insects such as crickets, locusts, flies and roaches.
- Young nymphs require smaller prey.
- Adults typically feed 2–3 times per week, depending on prey size and body condition.
- Remove uneaten prey if it could disturb a moulting mantis.
💧 Water
- Mantises generally drink water droplets from misting rather than from a bowl.
- Lightly mist foliage and enclosure surfaces.
🐛 Shedding
- A mantis must hang freely to moult successfully.
- Never disturb a mantis while moulting.
- Remove uneaten insects beforehand where possible.
- A noticeable reduction in appetite is common before a moult.
🤲 Handling
- Can be handled gently once settled.
- Allow it to walk onto your hand rather than grabbing it.
- Never handle during or immediately around a moult.
❤️ Health
- Watch for difficulty climbing, inability to grip surfaces, dehydration or problems moulting.
- Good ventilation prevents stagnant, overly damp conditions.
- Correct temperature, humidity and adequate vertical space are essential.
🧽 Cleaning
- Remove uneaten prey and waste regularly.
- Wipe dirty surfaces carefully.
- Avoid dismantling the enclosure unnecessarily, particularly when the mantis is preparing to moult.
🏠 Before You Bring Your Mantis Home
- Set up the enclosure with plenty of vertical climbing and moulting space.
- Check temperature and humidity.
- Have appropriately sized live food ready.
⚠️ Important Bits
- Keep Giant Blue Mantises singly housed.
- They are predators and may attack other mantises.
- The most important enclosure feature is clear vertical space for moulting.
- Never leave live prey in the enclosure if the mantis is moulting.
- Handle gently — mantises are delicate despite their impressive appearance.
