Wandering Violin Mantis

An ornate, twig-like Empusid with leaf lobes on its legs and a calm, almost languid temperament. Unusually for a mantis it tolerates communal housing — groups can be raised and bred together given space and steady feeding, though monitoring is still wise. Keep hot (85-95°F) and dry (40-50%); as an Empusid it cannot grip smooth glass, so use a mesh or screen cage with plenty of sticks to climb and molt from. Prefers flying prey such as flies and moths. Slow, deliberate, and a poor escape risk — a rewarding intermediate species. Harmless to humans.