Giant Asian mantis
Encyclopedia
Hierodula membranacea is a large mantid, sharing its common name
giant Asian mantis
with other large members of genus
Hierodula
. Its colours vary from green to yellow-green, or even brown to reddish-brown, similar to those of the giant Indian mantis and the giant Malaysian mantis. As the name suggests, it originates from southeast Asia
and is among the largest of mantises. Male and female adults reach around 10 centimetres (3.9 in), excluding extended forelegs. It is a cannibalistic
species, with the females eating the males after mating.
In captivity, faunariums should be set up with small branches and leaves, which can hold some moisture and keep humidity at a suitable level. The floor of the faunarium should be covered in substrate
. Bark chips are usually a good choice because they can hold a lot of moisture and they are organic. The risk of disease may increase if the humidity is too high.
. As they grow, the skin will get tighter and tighter until it is finally shed. As H. membranacea age, they will shed their exoskeleton several times until they reach adulthood.
The mantis should not be disturbed in any way during moulting. The mantis will not eat for a while before it sheds its skin. It also might not eat for a couple of days after the process. When the mantis has reached adulthood it will no longer need to shed, and should have its wings after moulting the final time.
s and ant
s, as these can deal harm to the mantis. This species is particularly cannibalistic
. Cannibalism in this species is thought to increase female fecundity
. Daily spraying or misting in captivity gives the mantis the water it needs to survive. However, a mantis will readily drink water offered to it.
abilities. A female can be identified from male by her six abdominal
segments, whereas males have eight. She also has a much larger abdomen.
After mating, the female may attempt to eat the male to increase fertility. While this is beneficial to the female, the male will try to avoid being eaten. The adult female will lay several egg cases (called ootheca
e) over her lifespan. These are best removed to a separate container as the mantises are cannibalistic. The oothecae are best suspended 6 to 10 cm (2.4 to 3.9 ) from the bottom of the container as the nymph
s abseil down a thin thread to the container floor when hatching. Hatching takes place around six to eight weeks later and up to 150 nymphs can be expected.
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
giant Asian mantis
Mantis
Mantis is the common name of any insect in the order Mantodea, also commonly known as praying mantises. The word itself means "prophet" in Latin and Greek...
with other large members of genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Hierodula
Hierodula
Hierodula is a genus of praying mantises found throughout Asia. Many species are referred to by the common name giant Asian mantis because of their large size. Representative species include H. grandis, H. membranacea, and H...
. Its colours vary from green to yellow-green, or even brown to reddish-brown, similar to those of the giant Indian mantis and the giant Malaysian mantis. As the name suggests, it originates from southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and is among the largest of mantises. Male and female adults reach around 10 centimetres (3.9 in), excluding extended forelegs. It is a cannibalistic
Cannibalism (zoology)
In zoology, cannibalism is the act of one individual of a species consuming all or part of another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded for more than 1500 species...
species, with the females eating the males after mating.
Habitat
Hierodula membranacea inhabits in shrubs and tree areas. It lives in hot and humid climates of temperatures of 22 to 30 °C (71.6 to 86 F) with a humidity of 60% to 70%.In captivity, faunariums should be set up with small branches and leaves, which can hold some moisture and keep humidity at a suitable level. The floor of the faunarium should be covered in substrate
Substrate (vivarium)
The substrate of a vivarium refers to the material used on the floor of the enclosure. It can affect humidity levels, filtration as well as the well being of the inhabitants. The appropriate substrate depends on the type of animal in the enclosure....
. Bark chips are usually a good choice because they can hold a lot of moisture and they are organic. The risk of disease may increase if the humidity is too high.
Biology
Mantises have a hard external skeleton called an exoskeletonExoskeleton
An exoskeleton is the external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to the internal skeleton of, for example, a human. In popular usage, some of the larger kinds of exoskeletons are known as "shells". Examples of exoskeleton animals include insects such as grasshoppers...
. As they grow, the skin will get tighter and tighter until it is finally shed. As H. membranacea age, they will shed their exoskeleton several times until they reach adulthood.
The mantis should not be disturbed in any way during moulting. The mantis will not eat for a while before it sheds its skin. It also might not eat for a couple of days after the process. When the mantis has reached adulthood it will no longer need to shed, and should have its wings after moulting the final time.
Diet
Giant Asian mantises in captivity will feed on basically any given insect. There are exceptions, such as waspWasp
The term wasp is typically defined as any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is neither a bee nor an ant. Almost every pest insect species has at least one wasp species that preys upon it or parasitizes it, making wasps critically important in natural control of their...
s and ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
s, as these can deal harm to the mantis. This species is particularly cannibalistic
Cannibalism (zoology)
In zoology, cannibalism is the act of one individual of a species consuming all or part of another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded for more than 1500 species...
. Cannibalism in this species is thought to increase female fecundity
Fecundity
Fecundity, derived from the word fecund, generally refers to the ability to reproduce. In demography, fecundity is the potential reproductive capacity of an individual or population. In biology, the definition is more equivalent to fertility, or the actual reproductive rate of an organism or...
. Daily spraying or misting in captivity gives the mantis the water it needs to survive. However, a mantis will readily drink water offered to it.
Reproduction
Reproduction occurs sexually in Hierodula membranacea, with very limited parthenogenesisParthenogenesis
Parthenogenesis is a form of asexual reproduction found in females, where growth and development of embryos occur without fertilization by a male...
abilities. A female can be identified from male by her six abdominal
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
segments, whereas males have eight. She also has a much larger abdomen.
After mating, the female may attempt to eat the male to increase fertility. While this is beneficial to the female, the male will try to avoid being eaten. The adult female will lay several egg cases (called ootheca
Ootheca
An ootheca is a type of egg mass made by any member of a variety of species .The word is a latinized combination of oo-, meaning "egg", from the Greek word ōon , and theca, meaning a "cover" or "container", from the Greek theke...
e) over her lifespan. These are best removed to a separate container as the mantises are cannibalistic. The oothecae are best suspended 6 to 10 cm (2.4 to 3.9 ) from the bottom of the container as the nymph
Nymph (biology)
In biology, a nymph is the immature form of some invertebrates, particularly insects, which undergoes gradual metamorphosis before reaching its adult stage. Unlike a typical larva, a nymph's overall form already resembles that of the adult. In addition, while a nymph moults it never enters a...
s abseil down a thin thread to the container floor when hatching. Hatching takes place around six to eight weeks later and up to 150 nymphs can be expected.
Behaviour
This mantis can jump around twice its body length. When it is an adult, it will not need to jump since it will be able to fly, though adult females will still do this on occasion. The mantis should not be picked up as it may be injured or attack the handler's hand. It can usually be handled by allowing it to crawl onto a hand, by placing the hand in front of the mantis in a vertical position.See also
- List of mantis species and genera
- Hierodula spp. care sheet