African Twig Mantis
vs Double Shield Mantis
If you're new to mantis keeping, the African Twig Mantis is the clear choice — beginner-friendly care with forgiving temperature and humidity requirements.
| African Twig Mantis | Double Shield Mantis | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Popa spurca | Pnigomantis medioconstricta |
| Care level | Beginner | Beginner-Intermediate |
| Adult size (female) | 8 cm | 9 cm |
| Adult size (male) | 7 cm | 8 cm |
| Lifespan | 6–12 months | 12–18 months |
| Temperature | 68–86°F | 68–86°F |
| Humidity | 40–60% | 50–60% |
| Molts to adult (female) | 8 (adult at L9) | 8 (adult at L9) |
| Molts to adult (male) | 7 (adult at L8) | 7 (adult at L8) |
| Diet | Will chase prey: flies, roaches (we don't feed crickets) | Chases prey: fruit flies (L1) → house and bottle flies → dubia roaches as adults (we don't feed crickets) |
| Communal? | No | No |
| Origin | Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar | Flores Island, Indonesia |
Care Difficulty
African Twig Mantis is rated Beginner while Double Shield Mantis is Beginner-Intermediate. The main differences are in humidity requirements (40–60% vs 50–60%) and temperature sensitivity.
Size & Lifespan
Double Shield Mantis is the larger species. Double Shield Mantis lives longer on average. Females of both species typically live longer than males.
Appearance
African Twig Mantis: If you've never kept a mantis, start here. Bark-textured camouflage, will chase its food, tolerates dry indoor air, and females live close to a year. The forgiving exotic. Double Shield Mantis: The aggressive eater. Stocky, mottled, with a uniquely constricted "double shield" pronotum and bright blue inner-arm markings. For keepers who want a mantis with attitude. Both are visually striking in completely different ways — check the photos above and the product pages for gallery images.
Best For
If you're new to mantis keeping, the African Twig Mantis is the clear choice — beginner-friendly care with forgiving temperature and humidity requirements. Both species are captive-bred at our facility in Las Vegas and ship with a live arrival guarantee on Priority Overnight.
African Twig Mantis
If you've never kept a mantis, start here. Bark-textured camouflage, will chase its food, tolerates dry indoor air, and females live close to a year. The forgiving exotic.
Double Shield Mantis
The aggressive eater. Stocky, mottled, with a uniquely constricted "double shield" pronotum and bright blue inner-arm markings. For keepers who want a mantis with attitude.