The Dead Leaf Mantis doesn’t look like an insect. It looks like something that fell off a tree three weeks ago and started decomposing. Deroplatys gorochovi, Gorochov’s Dead Leaf, wears a wide, shield-shaped pronotum patterned to mimic a torn, weathered leaf down to the vein detail and asymmetric edges. Set one on a branch and it vanishes. Reach in and it freezes; press it and the wings snap open, body twisted, in a full deimatic display that makes grown adults flinch. Pushed further, it drops limp and plays dead. That last move is a stress response, not a trick: this is a look-don’t-touch species, and not a beginner’s pet. This is a predator wrapped in the world’s best disguise, and it’s available for sale right here at LOBO//MANTIS.
Why Buy a Dead Leaf Mantis
There are flashy mantises and there are weird mantises. The Dead Leaf Mantis is both.
Camouflage that defies belief. The pronotum alone is a masterpiece: wide, flat, textured like bark, edged with irregular lobes that mimic leaf decay. The legs carry leaf-like extensions. The abdomen is flattened. Every surface is patterned in mottled browns, grays, and ochres. Guests will stare at the enclosure for thirty seconds before they realize something is alive in there.
A dramatic defensive repertoire. Most mantises have one trick. Deroplatys has three, in order: freeze and rely on camouflage; open the wings in a deimatic display, body twisted; and if pressed further, drop limp and play dead. Playing dead lasts from seconds to a few minutes. Back off and wait. Few invertebrates on the planet put on a show like this.
Serious size. Females reach 7–8 cm (about 3 in), large enough to take down adult moths and blue bottle flies with authority. Males run 5–6 cm and much slimmer, but no less impressive. This is not a mantis you need a magnifying glass to appreciate.
A true collector’s species. Dead Leaf Mantises are not mass-produced. They are uncommon in the US hobby, bred in small batches by people who know what they’re doing. Owning one puts you in a very small club.
If you’re looking to buy a Dead Leaf Mantis for sale online, you’ve found the right breeder.
What You’ll Receive
You’ll receive a healthy, established, captive-bred nymph, past the fragile hatchling stage and already feeding on its own. Exact stage varies with each hatch.
Your order includes:
- One (1) Deroplatys gorochovi nymph, individually housed in a ventilated deli cup
- A small supply of appropriately sized feeder flies for the first few days
- A printed care card with QR link to our full care guide
- Insulated packaging with a free heat pack added automatically when your forecast low is 40°F or lower, or a free ice pack when your forecast high is above 85°F
- Our live arrival guarantee (details under Shipping below)
Nymphs ship unsexed. Sex becomes readable by around L5. The care guide shows you how to tell.
Pricing & Availability
Dead Leaf Mantis pricing at LOBO//MANTIS:
We sell Dead Leaf Mantis as nymphs for $35. The product listing above always shows the live price and current stock. We don’t ship sub-adults or adults; you’ll raise yours from a nymph, which is the most rewarding (and safest-to-ship) way to start.
We breed in small colonies and release nymphs in periodic drops; new stock typically ships on the next ship day.
Want one? Join our waitlist and you’ll get an email when the next drop goes live.
Shipping
We ship live mantises via Priority Overnight from Las Vegas, Nevada.
- Ship days: every Monday and Tuesday. Orders placed after the 8 AM PT cutoff go out on the next ship day. This ensures your mantis does not sit in a facility over the weekend.
- Transit time: Priority Overnight usually arrives the next business day. A signature may be required depending on your area.
- Weather: We check the forecast along your route before every shipment. At 90°F or higher, or 40°F or lower, we don’t hold the order; we re-route the overnight box to a staffed FedEx counter for same-day collection (heat), or add a free heat pack (cold). Above 85°F, a free ice pack goes in the box. We only hold a shipment for severe weather or a carrier alert, and we email you if that happens.
- Packaging: Insulated box, individual deli cup with ventilation and grip material, and a free heat pack when your forecast low is 40°F or lower, or a free ice pack when your forecast high is above 85°F.
- Live arrival guarantee: If your mantis arrives dead, file your claim within 24 hours of unboxing at lobomantis.com/claim with a continuous unboxing video and we replace it, or refund the animal’s price if we can’t restock soon. Priority Overnight orders only; post-arrival death isn’t covered.
Shipping is flat-rate: $60 Priority Overnight (live arrival guaranteed) or $30 2-Day (ships at buyer’s risk, no live-arrival guarantee). It covers the insulated box, any heat or ice pack, and label; we don’t profit on shipping. New to live shipments? See how to unbox your shipped mantis.
Is the Dead Leaf Mantis Right for You?
Let’s be straight: this is an intermediate species. If you’ve never kept a mantis before, start with a Ghost Mantis, another leaf-mimic (here’s how the two compare), but far more forgiving on humidity and temperature. Get comfortable with feeding schedules and molt support before you take on a Deroplatys. If you love the camouflage angle but want something stockier and longer-lived, the Double Shield Mantis offers bark-textured disguise with beginner-intermediate care and an 18-month lifespan.
Dead Leaf Mantises need:
- Consistent warmth (72–85°F: 77–85 by day, 72–76 at night) with moderate-to-high humidity (60–80%)
- A vertical enclosure with textured surfaces for molting
- Flying insect feeders: they prefer flying prey but will take dubia roaches at larger sizes
- Solitary housing: they will eat each other without hesitation
They reward proper care with incredible displays and a presence that no other invertebrate can match. But they do not tolerate neglect.
If you already have experience and want the full breakdown on temps, humidity cycling, feeding schedules, and enclosure setup, read our Dead Leaf Mantis Care Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Dead Leaf Mantis cost? LOBO//MANTIS sells Dead Leaf Mantis nymphs at $35. We don’t ship sub-adults or adults; you raise yours from a nymph, which is the most rewarding and safest-to-ship way to start. Read our full praying mantis buying guide for what to expect.
Are Dead Leaf Mantises hard to keep? They are intermediate. The main challenges are maintaining proper humidity without stagnant air, providing appropriate flying insect prey, and ensuring successful molts in a vertically oriented enclosure. If you’ve successfully raised one or two other species to adulthood, you’re ready.
How long do Dead Leaf Mantises live? Total lifespan is 8 to 13 months from hatch: about 10 to 13 for a female and 8 to 10 for a male. Nymphs take about 6 to 7 months to mature; after the final molt, females can live 4 to 6 months with proper care and males typically 2 to 3.
Where can I buy a Dead Leaf Mantis? You’re already here. LOBO//MANTIS breeds Deroplatys gorochovi in-house in Las Vegas, Nevada. We ship Priority Overnight to most US states; checkout will tell you if yours is one we can’t ship to. Join our waitlist to get notified when the next drop goes live.
How big do Dead Leaf Mantises get? Adult females reach 7–8 cm (about 3 inches); the much slimmer males run 5–6 cm. That’s a little smaller than the better-known D. desiccata (about 7.5–9 cm), whose size often gets quoted for the whole genus. The wide, shield-shaped pronotum makes them appear even larger than their body length suggests. These are substantial, visually imposing mantises.
