Golden Mantis

Hierodula venosa

MantisbeginnerHarmless

No venom, no sting

Mantises are harmless to humans. They have no venom or sting — the worst they can do is grip with their spined forelegs or deliver a startling but harmless nip.

About

A large, golden-hued Southeast Asian Hierodula — hardy, voracious, and beginner-friendly like the rest of the genus. Keep at 72-85°F with 50-70% humidity from a daily light mist, in a tall, well-ventilated enclosure (about 30x30x40 cm) with perches and clear molting space at the top. Takes large flying and crawling prey including roaches. House individually; harmless to humans.

Taxonomy

FamilyMantidae

GenusHierodula

Native regionSoutheast Asia

TypeArboreal

Temperamentbold, voracious ambush predator; docile toward humans

Size & growth

Adult sizefemale ~4 in, male ~3.5 in

Length90.00–100.00 mm

Growth ratefast

Climate

Temperature72–85 °F

Humidity50–70%

Enclosure

Adult size≥3x body length tall, 2x wide; well-ventilated

Substratecoco fiber or paper towel; light misting for humidity/drinking

Substrate depth1-2 inches

Water dishOptional

Feeding

Feeding modePredator (live prey)

Prey sizeflies, crickets, roaches

Adult cadenceevery 2-3 days

Times kept: 0