Kersten’s Giant African Mantis - Sphodromantis kersteni

Fairly large mantis species originally from Africa.  Early instar nymphs are reddish-brown, resembling ants and acquire more color as they mature.  Adult color can range from green to yellow or orange.  Diet should be flying insects appropriate for its size (fruit flies when young and eventually moving on to house flies and bottle flies as it grows) but will also take the occasional waxworm, wax moth, mealworm, or roach.  This species should be kept at daytime temperatures between 75 and 85 F and misted every other day to allow it to drink.  Enclosure width should be 2 times the mantis' length and height should be 3 times the mantis' length.  Cross ventilation is important and humidity should be moderate, ~60% RH.  Not a communal species - only one should be housed per enclosure.  These are captive-bred for pet or educational purposes only - not to be released in the wild. 

Nymphs are sold unsexed unless otherwise specified.