The Orchid Mantis is the species that put praying mantises on the map. If you have ever searched “buy orchid mantis” or “orchid mantis for sale,” you already know what you are looking at: Hymenopus coronatus, the single most visually stunning mantis species on the planet. Native to the rainforests of Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, this predator mimics a blooming orchid so convincingly that pollinators land directly on it, and get eaten for the trouble.
Females reach 6-7 cm at adulthood with broadened, petal-shaped limbs in shades of pink, white, and pale yellow. Males top out around 2.5 cm and look like an entirely different animal. This is one of the most extreme cases of sexual dimorphism in the mantis world.
We breed Orchid Mantises year-round in our Las Vegas facility. Every nymph that ships from LOBO//MANTIS is captive-bred, never wild-caught, and backed by our live arrival guarantee. If you want the crown jewel of the mantis hobby, you are in the right place.
Why Buy an Orchid Mantis
There is no mantis that commands a room like the Orchid Mantis. Here is what you are actually getting when you buy one:
Visual impact. The pink-and-white petal mimicry is not a gimmick. It is jaw-dropping in person. Photos do not capture how these animals move, hunt, and pose. Guests will stop mid-conversation to stare at your enclosure.
The conversation piece. People who have never cared about insects will ask questions. People who keep reptiles will get jealous. An Orchid Mantis on a branch is more arresting than most artwork you could hang on a wall.
Rarity. This is not a species you find at PetSmart. Captive-bred Orchid Mantises are produced in small numbers, and we release nymphs as each clutch hatches. When the listing shows in stock, it is in stock; otherwise the waitlist is the way in.
The content factor. Orchid Mantises are among the most-shared invertebrates on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Their hunting strikes, molts, and threat displays generate engagement that most creators can only dream of. If you produce content in the exotic pet or macro photography space, this species pays for itself.
A real keeping challenge. This is not a display-only pet. Raising an Orchid Mantis from nymph to adult requires skill, timing, and attention. The reward at the end, a full-grown female in her final colors, is something most keepers never forget.
What You’ll Receive
When you order an Orchid Mantis from LOBO//MANTIS, here is exactly what shows up at your door:
- One live nymph. You’ll receive a healthy, established nymph, past the fragile hatchling stage and already feeding on its own. Exact stage varies with each hatch.
- Individually housed in a ventilated deli cup with a paper towel substrate and a small twig for grip during transit.
- Insulated packaging with a free heat pack added automatically when the forecast low at your zip code is 40°F or lower, or a free ice pack when the forecast high is above 85°F.
- Sex: nymphs ship unsexed; we do not offer sexed animals, and we do not guess.
- Live arrival guarantee included on every Priority Overnight order. If your mantis arrives dead, file your claim within 24 hours of unboxing at lobomantis.com/claim with a continuous unboxing video and we will send a replacement, or refund the animal’s price if we can’t restock soon. Priority Overnight orders only; post-arrival death isn’t covered. See our guide to unboxing your shipped mantis so you’re ready on delivery day. No runaround.
We do not ship adults. Orchid Mantises are fragile at maturity and the stress of overnight shipping at that stage is not worth the risk to the animal. You will raise yours from a nymph, which is honestly the best part.
Pricing & Availability
We sell Orchid Mantis as unsexed nymphs for $80. One price per species; the listing above always shows the live price and current stock. We don’t offer sexed animals and we do not ship adults.
Drops. New Orchid Mantis nymphs are released in periodic drops; new stock typically ships on the next ship day. If the listing shows “sold out,” join the waitlist and you will get an email the moment new nymphs are available. We do not hold stock or do pre-orders. For a sense of where orchids sit relative to other species, see how much a praying mantis costs.
Pricing is subject to change with breeding cycles.
Shipping
All Orchid Mantis orders ship via Priority Overnight from our facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.
- Ship days: every Monday and Tuesday. Orders placed after the 8 AM PT cutoff go out on the next ship day.
- Why only early in the week? Overnight packages that ship late in the week risk sitting in a carrier facility over the weekend. We will not gamble with a live animal.
- 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.
- Delivery: usually the next business day. A signature may be required depending on your area, so plan to be home to receive the package.
- Shipping cost: Flat-rate $60 Priority Overnight (live arrival guaranteed) or $30 2-Day. The live arrival guarantee applies to Priority Overnight only; 2-Day ships at the buyer’s risk with no live-arrival guarantee. Either way it covers the insulated box, any heat or ice pack, and the label. We do not profit on shipping.
Once your order ships, you will receive a tracking number via email. Plan to be home on delivery day and have your enclosure set up and ready before the box arrives.
Is the Orchid Mantis Right for You?
Honest answer: this is not a beginner species. If you have never kept a mantis before, start with a Ghost Mantis, the gold standard for first-time keepers (see how the two compare in our orchid mantis vs ghost mantis breakdown), or an African Twig Mantis, which tolerates dry air and actively hunts its food. Build your skills with one of those and come back in a few months.
The Orchid Mantis sits at Intermediate, a clear step up from beginner species, for a few reasons:
- Humidity sensitivity. Too dry and they mismolt. Too wet and they get fungal infections. The 60-80% sweet spot requires real humidity management, not just misting and hoping.
- Prey pickiness. They strongly prefer flying insects and will sometimes refuse prey that does not move in the right way. You need a reliable supply of fruit flies, houseflies, and eventually bottle flies or moths.
- Temperature requirements. Keep them at 78-82F by day and 72-75F at night. A warm room (mid-70s°F) is enough; most homes need a low-wattage CHE on a thermostat to hold that in winter.
- Cannibalism risk. Separate by L2 at the latest. One enclosure, one mantis.
- Short male lifespan. Males reach adult about 1.5–2 months after arriving as L2–L3 nymphs (6 molts from hatch); females take about 3–4 months (8 molts) and then live 5–6 months as adults. Since nymphs ship unsexed, know that if yours turns out male, his adult life is about 2–3 months, under half a female’s.
None of this is meant to scare you off. It is meant to set expectations. If you have kept one or two easier species successfully and you are ready to level up, the Orchid Mantis is the reward. For full husbandry details (enclosure setup, feeding schedules, humidity management, and molt troubleshooting), see our Orchid Mantis Care Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an orchid mantis cost?
$80 per unsexed nymph at LOBO//MANTIS, one price, no instar or sex tiers; the product listing above always shows the live price for current stock. Add flat-rate shipping: $60 Priority Overnight (live arrival guaranteed) or $30 2-Day (buyer’s risk, no live-arrival guarantee). Compared to other mantis species, orchids sit at the premium end (see our praying mantis cost breakdown), but you are paying for the most spectacular mantis in the hobby.
Are orchid mantises legal to keep in the US?
Yes, in the 47 states we ship to. Orchid Mantises (Hymenopus coronatus) are a non-native species, and two states regulate those: Hawaii and Florida don’t issue pet permits for non-native mantises, and Alaska requires a written import permit before a live insect can be shipped in, so we don’t ship mantises to those three. Everywhere else, no license or permit of your own is needed to buy or keep one; the permit rules on importing and on moving insects between states fall on the shipper, not the buyer. Importing orchid mantises from overseas requires a USDA APHIS permit, which is not your problem when you buy captive-bred from a US breeder like LOBO//MANTIS. See our guide to mantis legality for the details.
How long do orchid mantises live?
Females live about 8–10 months from hatch, males about 5; the difference is the adult stage, 5–6 months for a female against 2–3 for a male. Males are short-lived at maturity. This is normal, not a sign of bad husbandry. Nymphs ship unsexed, so plan for either outcome. For how the species stacks up against others, see our praying mantis lifespan by species guide.
Can you keep orchid mantises together?
No. Orchid Mantises are aggressively cannibalistic and must be housed individually by L2 at the latest; they eat each other reliably from L2 onward. Do not attempt communal housing with this species regardless of enclosure size. One mantis, one enclosure, no exceptions.
Where is the best place to buy an orchid mantis?
You are looking at it. LOBO//MANTIS breeds Orchid Mantises year-round in Las Vegas, Nevada. Every nymph is captive-bred in our facility, ships Priority Overnight, and arrives with a live arrival guarantee. We do not resell someone else’s stock and we do not import. When you buy from us, you are buying directly from the breeder, which means healthier animals, accurate instar identification, and actual support if you have questions after purchase.
