Rainforest Mantis
Hierodula majuscula
A large green hunter of the rainforest
The rainforest mantis is a large, bright-green mantis with powerful front legs, living in the humid rainforests of Australia and nearby regions. It waits among foliage and strikes with lightning speed.
Key figures
- Length
- About 7–10 cm
- Strength
- Its front legs can pin prey larger than itself
- Life cycle
- An egg case hatches dozens of nymphs that moult several times
- Habitat
- Tropical rainforests of northern Australia
- Diet
- Flies, moths, locusts and even small lizards
- Feature
- Its vivid green body blends with the foliage
Life cycle
Egg → Nymph → Adult
Ecological role
As one of the rainforest's top predators, it keeps small insect populations in check.
Did you know
The female sometimes eats the male after mating, gaining nutrients for egg-laying.
Range
Northern Australia, New Guinea
Status
Common
Anatomy
- Raptorial legs — Powerful front legs lined with spines that lock struggling prey in place
- Front legs — Sickle-shaped front legs folded at rest, snapping open in an instant
- Head — Triangular and able to turn freely to search for prey
- Compound eye — Large and sharp, with the head turn covering almost every angle
- Abdomen — The female's abdomen is broad and swells before egg-laying
- Wings — Wings longer than the abdomen allow short flights
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