Sources

Where the facts come from

Every factual claim on this site links to its source. This is the full list, and every place where the sources disagree.

How we checked

Each fact was written alongside its source. Our build script stores the source text and, for every fact, checks that the key words and figures really appear in it. 148 of 148 checks passed when this site was last built. All sources were read on 31 Oct 2026. Facts that can change (species counts, trends and records) carry “checked 31 Oct 2026” next to their source link.

Main sources: the Amateur Entomologists’ Society, the Natural History Museum, London, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, the Australian Museum, Newcastle University, a study from the University of Basel, NC State Extension, Utah State University Extension, The Canadian Encyclopedia, a quick guide in Current Biology, a peer-reviewed paper in The American Naturalist and Britannica (its main article text only).

When sources disagree

Where trusted sources give different figures, we don’t pick one: we show them all, each with its source.

How many kinds of mantis are there?

• The Oxford museum’s insect guide gives 1,800 species worldwide. Oxford University Museum of Natural History: Mantodea · checked 31 Oct 2026
• Britannica gives approximately 2,000 species. Britannica: Mantis · checked 31 Oct 2026
• The Amateur Entomologists’ Society says roughly 2,300 species have been described. Amateur Entomologists’ Society: Praying Mantids (Order Mantodea) · checked 31 Oct 2026
• The Canadian Encyclopedia gives about 2,400 species worldwide, most of them in the tropics. The Canadian Encyclopedia: Mantid · checked 31 Oct 2026
• The Natural History Museum, London, says there are over 2,500 known species. Natural History Museum, London: Small orders collection (Mantodea) · checked 31 Oct 2026

Five trusted sources, five figures, from 1,800 to over 2,500. New species are still being described and some figures are older or rounder than others, so treat them all as snapshots.

How big are mantises?

• Mantises are medium to large insects: the Amateur Entomologists’ Society gives 10 to 200 mm long. Amateur Entomologists’ Society: Praying Mantids (Order Mantodea)
• The Oxford museum gives a body length of 8 to 150 mm. Oxford University Museum of Natural History: Mantodea
• The Canadian Encyclopedia gives 1 to 15 cm. The Canadian Encyclopedia: Mantid

All three agree mantises range from small to very large; they give slightly different smallest and largest sizes.

How many eggs in one egg case?

• Britannica says a female lays from fewer than 10 to more than 300 eggs in a batch. Britannica: Mantis
• Utah State University Extension gives 12 to 400 eggs per egg case. Utah State University Extension: Beneficial insects, mantids
• The Amateur Entomologists’ Society says one egg case may produce 30 to 300 young, depending on the species. Amateur Entomologists’ Society: Praying Mantid caresheet
• For the Chinese mantis, NC State Extension gives 50 to 600 eggs. NC State Extension: Chinese praying mantid

It depends on the species, and the sources count slightly different things: eggs in a batch, eggs per case, or young hatching. The NC State figure is for the Chinese mantis only.

How long do mantises live?

• The Amateur Entomologists’ Society gives an average lifespan of twelve months. Amateur Entomologists’ Society: Praying Mantids (Order Mantodea)
• Its caresheet says mantises live for 12 to 18 months. Amateur Entomologists’ Society: Praying Mantid caresheet

Both figures are from the same society: one an average, one a range.

Can all mantises fly?

• Not all mantises can fly. Those that do are often drawn to lights at night. Amateur Entomologists’ Society: Praying Mantids (Order Mantodea)
• Australian mantises are weak fliers that usually fly in short bursts. Australian Museum: Praying mantises (Order Mantodea)

The Amateur Entomologists’ Society says mantises that can fly are often drawn to lights; the Australian Museum describes Australian mantises as weak fliers that go in short bursts. Both agree not every mantis can fly.

What share of Australian mantises are in the family Mantidae?

• About 80% of Australian mantises belong to one family, the Mantidae. Australian Museum: Praying mantises (Order Mantodea) · checked 31 Oct 2026
• The Australian Museum’s garden mantid page puts the same family at almost 75% of Australian species. Australian Museum: Garden Mantid · checked 31 Oct 2026

Two pages on the same museum site give different shares.

What is the Chinese mantis’s scientific name?

• Britannica calls the Chinese mantis Tenodera aridifolia sinensis. Britannica: Mantis
• NC State Extension calls it Tenodera sinensis. NC State Extension: Chinese praying mantid
• The Canadian Encyclopedia calls it Tenodera aridifolia. The Canadian Encyclopedia: Mantid

Scientists don’t all agree on how to name this mantis, so you’ll see all three in books and on websites. We use Tenodera sinensis, as NC State Extension does.

Do females eat their mates?

• It’s often said that female mantises always eat their mates, but studies suggest this isn’t commonly seen in the wild. Amateur Entomologists’ Society: Praying Mantids (Order Mantodea)
• The Canadian Encyclopedia says it is probably uncommon in the wild and more likely when females are hungry. Males approach slowly and freeze if the female moves. The Canadian Encyclopedia: Mantid
• Utah State University Extension describes females trying to eat the male before, during or after mating, and males approaching carefully. Utah State University Extension: Beneficial insects, mantids

It does happen, but the sources differ on how often. Two say it seems uncommon in the wild; one describes it without saying how often.

All sources (16)

• Amateur Entomologists’ Society: Praying Mantid caresheet (9 facts)
• Amateur Entomologists’ Society: Praying Mantids (Order Mantodea) (19 facts)
• Australian Museum: Garden Mantid (5 facts)
• Australian Museum: Praying mantises (Order Mantodea) (19 facts)
• Australian Museum: Purple-winged Mantid (2 facts)
• Britannica: Mantis (24 facts)
• NC State Extension: Chinese praying mantid (10 facts)
• Natural History Museum, London: Small orders collection (Mantodea) (6 facts)
• Newcastle University, 7 January 2016: Tiny glasses confirm 3D vision in insects (4 facts)
• Newcastle University, 8 February 2018: New 3D vision discovered in praying mantis (5 facts)
• Oxford University Museum of Natural History: Mantodea (4 facts)
• O’Hanlon 2016, Current Biology quick guide: Orchid mantis (6 facts)
• O’Hanlon, Holwell & Herberstein 2014, The American Naturalist (peer-reviewed, via PubMed): Pollinator deception in the orchid mantis (2 facts)
• The Canadian Encyclopedia: Mantid (18 facts)
• University of Basel study, reported by ScienceDaily (4 July 2017): Praying mantises hunt down birds worldwide (3 facts)
• Utah State University Extension: Beneficial insects, mantids (12 facts)