Overview
Caring for the African Twig Mantis (Popa spurca) is simple because it is the species we recommend to first-time keepers more than any other. Widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, P. spurca is a bark-and-twig mimic that combines three traits the typical home keeper actually wants:
- Dry-air tolerant. 40–50% humidity is fine. No misting routine to worry about. New to the hobby? See our roundup of the best pet mantis for beginners.
- Food-aggressive. Active hunters, will chase prey and accept a wide variety of feeders.
- Long-lived. 8–12 months is typical, sometimes longer.
Adult females reach about 7–8 cm; males are smaller at ~5–7 cm. The sexes are distinct: females are stockier with pronounced dorsal spines and short wings, while males are slimmer with full-length wings that reach the abdomen tip and proportionally longer antennae. The species displays a subtle threat posture (raised front legs, body twisted) but it’s nothing dramatic; this is a working species, not a showpiece.
If you have never kept a mantis, this is the right starting point. Move on to Orchids, Dead Leaves, or Spiny Flowers once you’ve raised an African Twig from L2 to adult.
Enclosure
Solo housing past L3. Younger nymphs can be housed communally if prey is dense; separate as soon as size differences emerge.
- L1–L2: 32-oz deli cup, mesh top.
- L3–L4: 64-oz cup or 5×5×8 inch acrylic.
- L5+: 6×6×10 inch minimum. Adults are happy in 8×8×12.
Substrate: dry coco fiber, paper towel, or even bare floor with a few twigs. They evolved in arid scrub — don’t try to make this a rainforest.
Decor: thin twigs and bark pieces. The species camouflages by mimicking branch texture; give it branches to mimic. Silk leaves are unnecessary.
Ventilation: mesh top is sufficient.
Temperature & humidity
Target 72–86°F, 40–50% humidity. Most homes hit this without supplemental heat or humidification.
If your home runs cold (below 68°F), add a low-wattage CHE on a thermostat. They tolerate the upper end (mid 80s) without stress.
Humidity: a brief light mist twice a week is enough. Spraying a few droplets on a perch gives them drinking water; full enclosure misting isn’t required. Don’t over-mist this species — fungal issues are rare but possible if substrate stays damp.
Diet & feeding
Will accept almost anything alive that fits in the strike zone:
- L1–L2: Melanogaster fruit flies. 5–7 per feeding, every 1–2 days.
- L3–L4: Hydei fruit flies, small houseflies, dubia pinheads. 4–5 per feeding every 2 days.
- L5–L6: Houseflies, bottle flies, dubia nymphs. 2–3 per feeding every 2–3 days.
- L7+ / Adult: Bottle flies, moths, medium dubia. 1–2 prey items every 3 days.
The rule behind the list: keep prey to no more than a third of the mantis’s body length. The species above are what we feed, but you’ll meet insects we haven’t named — a moth off the porch light, an oversized dubia, whatever the shop had. Size is what decides whether it’s safe, not what it is. Err smaller: a too-small prey item is a non-event, a too-large one risks injury. Our feeding guide has the sizes worked out centimetre by centimetre.
Active hunters: they’ll stalk and chase prey rather than ambush. Feed responsibly — overfeeding produces obese adults that struggle to molt.
Lifecycle & molting
Females: 8 instars. Males: 7 instars. Total nymph development: 4–6 months. Adult stage: ~4–7 months after the final molt, for a total lifespan of roughly 8–12 months from hatch (females ~10–12, males ~8–10). For how this stacks up against other species, see praying mantis lifespan by species.
Premolt signs are obvious:
- Refusing prey 24+ hours
- Hanging upside-down for hours
- Often a slight darkening of the body
After any molt, hands off until it has hardened — moving normally, gripping firmly, colour back up. That’s about 24 hours for a nymph and 48 hours or more for an adult, and no food until then.
Molts are reliable in this species. When they do fail, the usual causes are insufficient hanging height, humidity that’s dropped too low, or a live feeder left in the enclosure that harasses the mantis mid-molt. The humidity one catches keepers here more than most, because this is our driest species and it’s easy to let a dry room drift further — if you do run into trouble, our guide to praying mantis molting problems walks through the fixes.
Sexing
Reliable by L4:
- Females: 6 abdominal segments visible. Slightly stockier abdomen.
- Males: 8 abdominal segments. Slimmer overall, longer antennae proportionally.
Don’t sex by length alone — females run ~7–8 cm and males ~5–7 cm, and the wing and antenna differences above are the clearer tells.
Breeding
One of the easiest species to breed.
- Pair adults 14+ days post-final molt.
- Feed the female 1–2 days before introduction.
- Introduce the male in a 10×10×12 or larger enclosure.
- Pairing lasts 4–8 hours.
- Separate after.
Cannibalism risk is low to moderate; backup males rarely needed but don’t hurt.
Females produce oothecae steadily — roughly one every 3–4 weeks, so 6–11 across a full adult life. Each yields 70–150 nymphs at 78–82°F and 50% humidity, hatching in 4–8 weeks.
Plan for that number before the hatch, not after. A single ootheca can produce over a hundred nymphs, and they all need feeding within a day or two of emerging.
Ready to buy an African Twig Mantis? We breed Popa spurca year-round in Las Vegas. See current availability →
Common issues
- Sluggish, refusing food: check the temperature. Below 68°F they slow down dramatically.
- Failed molt: check hanging height first, then humidity, then whether a feeder was left in during premolt.
- Obese adult: overfeeding. Drop to 1 prey item every 4 days for 2 weeks.
- Communal cannibalism (early instars): food density too low. Add more fruit flies, or separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do African Twig Mantises have molting problems?
Rarely — their tolerance for a wide humidity range is exactly why they molt so reliably and make such a forgiving first mantis. Cover the basics (height at least 3× body length, something textured to hang from, a light stable humidity bump and a hydrated animal at premolt, no feeders left in) and molts are usually uneventful. If one does stick, the fixes are in our molting guide.
Why is the African Twig considered the easiest exotic mantis?
The combination of dry-air tolerance, broad temperature range, broad diet acceptance, and long lifespan. Nothing else in the trade lines up across all four.
Will it bite me?
Mantises don’t really bite — they grab with the front legs. P. spurca is fast and food-aggressive, so a finger that smells like prey can get grabbed. Wash hands before handling. The “bite” is harmless.
Can I keep multiple African Twigs together as adults?
No. Communal works only at very young instars and only with dense food. Separate by L3.
How does this compare to a Ghost Mantis?
Both are excellent beginner species. Ghost is communal-tolerant, prefers slightly higher humidity, and has a more striking leaf-mimic appearance. African Twig is drier-tolerant, more food-aggressive, and lives slightly longer. Many keepers start with one of each.