Carolina Praying Mantis vs Chinese Praying Mantis (Species Comparison)

The Carolina Mantid or Carolina Praying Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) makes a return in another episode of Backyard Bugs with Brody. However, this time Brody also introduces you to the Carolina Praying Mantis’ arch enemy and distant cousin, the Chinese Praying Mantis (Tenodera sinensis).
Different Species
There are over 2,400 known species of praying mantises worldwide, and several species are found in North America. In Missouri, where Brody lives, there are three common species if praying mantis, including:
Carolina Mantid (Stagmomantis carolina): This is a native species found throughout much of the eastern U.S. It is medium-sized, typically green or brown in color, and found in gardens and grasslands.
European Mantis (Mantis religiosa): It is not native to North America but was introduced and is now found across the U.S. The European species is typically larger than the Carolina species.
Chinese Mantid (Tenodera sinensis): It was introduced and is one of the largest mantis species in North America, it can be green or brown, and is found in a variety of habitats, including gardens, woodlands, and fields.
One of these things is not like to other
The Carolina Praying Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) and the Chinese Praying Mantis (Tenodera sinensis) have very distinct characteristics:
Appearance:
Carolina Praying Mantis is typically smaller in size, ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 inches (3.8 to 6.4 cm) in length. Its color can vary by its surroundings but is often green or brown. It also has a more slender and elongated body compared to the Chinese Praying Mantis.
Chinese Praying Mantis are larger in size, ranging from 2.5 to 4 inches (6.4 to 10.2 cm) or even larger. It is typically bright green, but they can also be shades of brown. It has a bulkier, more robust body compared to the Carolina Praying Mantis.
Habitat:
Carolina Praying Mantis is native to North America, particularly the eastern and southeastern United States. It can be found in a variety of habitats including gardens, meadows, and forests.
Chinese Praying Mantis is native to Asia, specifically China and surrounding regions. It has been introduced to other parts of the world, including North America, where it is considered an invasive species.
Behavior:
Both the Carolina Praying Mantis and the Chinese Praying Mantis are ambush predators, relying on their excellent camouflage and lightning-fast reflexes to catch prey. They are also both known for their characteristic "praying" posture, which they use to blend in with plants.
Life Cycle:
Praying mantises go through an incomplete metamorphosis. They hatch from egg cases (oothecae) as nymphs that resemble miniature versions of the adult mantis. As they grow, they shed their exoskeletons in a process called molting.
Want to learn more about Carolina Praying Mantis, check out these other great episodes of Backyard Bugs with Brody:
Cannibalization: Females are known for eating males during mating. • Praying Mantis Mating ...
Reproduction: Praying mantises lay egg cases called oothecae. Each foam-like case can contain hundreds of eggs. Brody got to see this process firsthand: • Carolina Praying Manti...
Parasites: While Carolina Praying Mantis may be a great hunter, it can still fall victim to much smaller insects. • Praying Mantis & Tachi...
Meet Brody
If you are new to the channel, Brody is fascinated by bugs and animals. He loves sharing his discoveries with his brother, sister, and friends so much that he started this channel. This way he can show them videos and not just describe the bug or animal. Brody does all his own research, with some help from his parents, as well as his uncle and aunt who are biologist. He looks up facts on the animals and bugs he catches and shares them. Despite his confidence, Brody is not a bug expert. (Although he thinks he is.) Take all comments from Brody as opinion until confirmed by experts.
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