Conehead Mantis

Empusa pennata

MantisintermediateHarmless

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 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.

Taxonomy

FamilyEmpusidae

GenusEmpusa

Native regionMediterranean (southern Europe, North Africa)

TypeArboreal

Temperamentcalm, slow; cryptic cone-headed mimic

Size & growth

Adult size2.5-3 inches

Length55.00–75.00 mm

Growth rateslow

Climate

Temperature75–95 °F

Humidity40–60%

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