Conehead Mantis
Empusa pennata
Empusa • Empusidae
Overview
A spectacular horned mantis from warm, dry Mediterranean scrub. It likes high daytime warmth (up to ~95°F) with a cooler night drop, excellent ventilation, and only moderate humidity (~50%). Takes mainly flying prey. In the wild it overwinters as a nymph, so it's a slower, longer project than the green mantises — an intermediate keep. Solitary; harmless to humans.
Husbandry Requirements
Temperature & Humidity
Temperature
75-95°F
Humidity
40-60%
Enclosure Sizes
Substrate
Feeding Schedule
Prey size: flies, crickets, roaches
Quick Stats
Type
arboreal
Adult Size
2.5-3 inches
Growth Rate
slow
Native Region
Mediterranean (southern Europe, North Africa)
Temperament
calm, slow; cryptic cone-headed mimic
Behavior
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