The Ghost Mantis - Phyllocrania Paradoxa

Country of Origin: Africa and some parts of Southern Europe.

Food: Crickets, locusts, cockroaches, flies such as curly wings, fruit flies, blue bottles, green bottles, wax worms, wax moths.

Temperature: 20﮿C-30﮿C (Ideal temperature 25﮿C)

Humidity: 30-50% Light mist once a day or every other day should achieve this. 

Adult Size: 5-6cm

Little masters of camouflage, this species mimics dead leaves and will sit in wait for prey to pass them. 

Ghost mantis are well known for being a "communal" species and can be housed together if of the same size, offered plenty of food and live with ample space. 

The risk of cannibalism is low in ghost mantis but if hungry and bulshy enough they can and sometimes will predate on each other. 

Around L5/6 it is advised to separate males and females due to the risk of females picking on the slightly smaller male. Single sex groups of the same instar are best for communal living.

Males tend to make better house mates due to their less aggressive nature compared to females, but this is down to the individuals, food access, space and temperature they are housed.

Alternatively, keep your ghost mantis on its own. Praying Mantis don't need social interaction and gain no benefit from living in groups.

All my L3/4 nymphs will be dark brown in colour but will moult into green, chocolate, almost black or sandy yellow if female. Males will go a metallic grey or a greyish copper.