Insects are quite charming and unique animals. Praying mantis are quite attractive pets for some people. Catching and keeping a praying mantis is quite easy. Prepare a jar that can hold the praying mantis, then put the grasshopper in it. Provide a cage large enough and enough food to keep the praying mantis comfortable.
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Method 1 of 4: Catching Praying Mantis
Step 1. Look for praying mantis around flowering shrubs and trees
It's hard to know exactly where the praying mantis is, but it generally perches in bushes or trees. Observe the bushes and plants around you carefully. Its slender, green body makes it easy for the praying mantis to camouflage with the area around it.
- Search around the house. Check for damp areas or plants.
- Look for areas where there are lots of insects, especially areas where praying mantises have lived.
Step 2. Put on gardening gloves before catching the praying mantis
The praying mantis is not poisonous, but its bite is quite dangerous. To prevent grasshoppers from biting you, wear gardening gloves.
If bitten by a praying mantis, shake your hand up and down to reduce the pain
Step 3. Gently lift the praying mantis from its belly or chest
The belly of the praying mantis is behind its hind legs. The chest of the praying mantis is located between its front and middle legs.
- You can lift the praying mantis with your hands (make sure you wear gloves) or pliers.
- Don't squeeze the praying mantis too hard so it doesn't crush.
Step 4. Put the praying mantis in the jar
Large jars with a capacity of 500 ml or more are a good option. Cover the mouth of the jar with plastic and tie it with a rubber band. Make small holes in the plastic so the praying mantis can breathe.
- A large jar of peanut butter or kimchi is a good option.
- Use plastic jars whenever possible. Glass jars break more easily than plastic jars.
- When you're catching praying mantis in the open, you can temporarily put the grasshoppers in a small jar. However, if you want to keep a praying mantis, it needs a wider habitat.
Method 2 of 4: Providing the Right Habitat
Step 1. Prepare a cage at least 3 times the length of the grasshopper's body, and at least 2 times the width of the grasshopper's body
The size of this cage can guarantee the praying mantis has enough space to move. An aquarium covered with a mesh is a good option because it has a good ventilation system.
The height of the cage should be at least 3 times the body length of the praying mantis
Step 2. Add substrate
You can add shredded paper towels, vermiculite, potting soil, sand, wood chips, or bark chips. These materials can absorb and release water slowly, so the humidity of the mantis grasshopper cage will remain stable.
There is no definite rule about how much substrate a praying mantis needs. A 3-5 cm thick substrate is sufficient to keep the praying mantis healthy and happy
Step 3. Add plants and twigs
Place the plants that normally live in the praying mantis' natural habitat into the cage. In addition, you can also place twigs, reeds, tree trunks, artificial plants and flowers, or plastic twigs.
- Artificial plants and twigs are commonly used to decorate lizard cages. You can buy this accessory at your nearest pet store.
- Make sure the artificial plant or twig used is free of glue and insecticides.
- Place at least one twig 3 times the body length of the praying mantis into the cage. Grasshoppers will use these twigs when molting.
Method 3 of 4: Caring for a Praying Mantis
Step 1. Make sure the temperature and humidity of the cage remain stable
The optimal humidity level and temperature of the cage will depend on the praying mantis species being kept. Place a thermometer and hygrometer near the grasshopper cage to ensure that the cage conditions are ideal.
- If the cage is placed in a room that is too cold or too hot, move it to a room with a more stable and manageable temperature.
- To increase the humidity of the cage, spray the substrate with water. The humidity of the cage will increase if the substrate is often sprayed with water. You can also increase the humidity of the cage by reducing the air vents in the enclosure.
Step 2. Give the praying mantis flies and insects to eat
The praying mantis loves to eat flies, cockroaches, grasshoppers, mosquitoes, and other small insects. You can put these insects in the praying mantis cage. Alternatively, you can feed the praying mantis an insect directly. Use a pair of tweezers to pinch the insect, then slide it near the praying mantis.
- The praying mantis does not like to eat dead insects. Therefore, you will have to buy live insects at the nearest pet store, or catch them yourself. You can find small insects around trees or plantations.
- When feeding a praying mantis a live insect, wait for it to catch and eat it. Otherwise, the insects may run away and die, and the praying mantis will starve.
- The portion of food that must be consumed will depend on the species of praying mantis. Some species of praying mantis must eat once every 4 days. Some species of praying mantis have to eat every day.
Step 3. Clean the praying mantis cage every month
Transfer the praying mantis to the jar used to catch it. After that, remove the substrate from the cage and clean it with hot water. Do not use detergent as it can poison the praying mantis. Place a clean substrate along with twigs and other plants in the cage.
Step 4. Make sure the praying mantis is not mixed with another praying mantis
The praying mantis is not an animal that likes to socialize. If two praying mantises live in the same cage, they will attack each other.
Method 4 of 4: Identifying the Species of Praying Mantis
Step 1. Identify the praying mantis species by location
Each species of praying mantis has a different habitat. For example, the Carolina praying mantis will not be found in Indonesia because it only lives in the United States. Read books about praying mantis species and habitats to find out which praying mantis species you are keeping.
- The Carolina praying mantis lives in the United States, from New York to Florida. This praying mantis can also be found on the East Coast of the United States, for example in Utah, Arizona, and Texas.
- The eight spotted praying mantis or black barrel lives in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
- Theopropus elegans is a species of praying mantis that lives in Singapore, Myanmar, Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.
Step 2. Measure the body of the praying mantis
Use a ruler to measure the length of the praying mantis. Each species of praying mantis has a varying body length. For example, the Chinese praying mantis can grow to a length of 10 cm, but the Carolina praying mantis can only grow to a length of 5-6 cm. Compare the body length of your praying mantis with other praying mantis species to identify the species. Consult your observations with books that explain the differences and characteristics of each species of praying mantis.
Step 3. Don't determine the praying mantis species based on its body color
Praying mantises are generally green or brown in color, but praying mantises of the same species can have different body colors.
Step 4. Consult an entymologist
Entymologists are entomologists. If you're having trouble identifying the praying mantis species, a professional entymologist may be able to help. Contact an entymologist at your nearest university or entymology institute and ask them to help identify your praying mantis species.
