Hierodula membranacea

Hierodula membranous

Hierodula membranacea is a mantis in the family Mantidae. The species is a popular way for keeping in terrariums because of their size and ease of care.

Features

The female can be up to 90 millimeters, the slimmer males up to 70 millimeters long. The coloration of males and females varies from yellow-green, green and brown to reddish brown. The females have six, males eight abdominal segments.

Hierodula membranous differs from the African Ghana Mantis by the absence of secondary eyes cusp between the compound eye and antenna, as well as by the yellow coloring of parts of the mouthparts. In Ghana mantis, these parts are red.

Occurrence

The species is widespread in South and Southeast Asia and parts of East Asia. It occurs in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, southern China, Thailand and Java. You need warm, moist conditions that prevail in tropical forests.

Way of life

The animals feed on predatory insects. They hunt anything that does not exceed about two -thirds of their body length. As soon as something moves in their immediate vicinity, they pack lightning fast with their spiny tentacles. Also, they have a strong tendency to cannibalism. As with many of the male praying mantis is often eaten by the female during mating, where his body however continues copulating even with already eroded head.

Mating takes about 8 to 10 hours, then try the surviving males to escape quickly. The females lay their eggs in several frothy Eiballen ( oothecae ). Each ootheca can contain 100 to 300 eggs. After about six to eight weeks, depending on temperature, the larvae hatch, the need for their development about six months. Approximately every two weeks, they shed their skin. Only in the past, the adult stage, the wings are developed. The animals have a life expectancy of a total of about 8 to 10 months.