Ghost Mantis Care Sheet
Phyllocrania paradoxa · Beginner care · Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar
Setup
| Daytime | 70–80°F |
|---|---|
| Night | to 68°F; below 68 growth slows, below 65 stalls; above 85 stressful |
| Full range | 68–80°F |
| Humidity | 60–70% |
| Misting | Light wall mist daily to every other day |
| Adult size | ♀ 5 cm · ♂ 4.5 cm |
| Stage | Enclosure |
|---|---|
| L1–L2 | 16-oz deli cup, mesh lid |
| L3–L6 | 32-oz deli cup or medium enclosure, 10×8.5×15 cm |
| L7–adult | large enclosure, 12×10×20 cm; 30 cm is roomy |
Height at least 2.5× body length (3× if you can), 2× clear drop below the perch, width 1.5×. Move up when the mantis is a third of the height.
Heat: most homes need none; if nights sit under 68°F, a low-wattage heat emitter above the mesh or mat on a side wall, on a thermostat; never underneath, no heat lamps on plastic, no UV. Substrate: dry coco fiber; no wet conditions needed. Ventilation: mesh top plus a screen side panel. Decor: twigs, dried leaves, cork bark, silk leaves.
Feeding
| Stage | Feeder | How many | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| L1–L2 | Melanogaster fruit flies | 4–6 | every 1–2 days, keep a few present |
| L3–L4 | Hydei fruit flies, occasionally houseflies | 4–6 | every 2 days |
| L5–L6 | Houseflies, green bottles; blue bottles from L6 | 2–3 | every 2–3 days |
| L7+ / adult | Bottle flies, moths, small dubia (1/2 in or less) | 1–2 | every 3–4 days; gravid female 2–3 |
Prey no more than a third of body length; err smaller. No wild-caught insects, no crickets. Ghosts watch prey for minutes before striking; leave it in for several hours.
Handling and molting
Handling is fine from day one; the only time to leave a mantis alone is around a molt. The calmest species we keep. Let it walk onto an open hand rather than picking it up. A startled Ghost freezes and sways like a leaf; an adult male may fly.
Premolt fast: 2–7 days for nymphs, 1–2+ weeks before the final molt. Humidity at the top of the range; never spray the mantis; remove every feeder.
- Refusing prey 24 h+ and staying still
- Hanging upside-down for long periods
- Slight darkening at the limb joints
After any molt, hands off until hardened (moving normally, gripping firmly, color back up): about 24 h for a nymph, 48+ for an adult. No food until then; first meal slightly smaller.
Lifespan
| Nymph stage | Adult stage | Total from hatch | Adult at | Ootheca hatches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4–6 mo | ♀ 6–12 · ♂ 2–6 mo | 8–18 mo | ♀ L8 · ♂ L7 | 4–6 wk |
Females live 12–18 months from hatch, males 8–12. Females molt 7 times, males 6. Nymphs ship unsexed; the stage you receive varies with each hatch.
Do not
- Run it damp. Hold 60–70%; not 50 permanently.
- Keep adults together. Nymphs can group from L3 with flies always available; separate around L5. A first mantis is best alone.
- Wet the enclosure to chase a green color. Color is individual; damp invites fungus.
- Perch it low. A perch near the substrate is the usual cause of a bad molt.