European mantis
Mantis religiosa
Gocha Nemsadze · Mtskheta Georgia field photo
Key facts in one look
- Group
- Insect
- Status in Georgia
- Recorded in 9 regions
- Size
- Large; about 6–10.5 cm
- Habitat
- Sunny grass / shrub / garden
- Family
- Mantidae
The praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) is an insect, not a reptile, and at rest it folds its front legs as if praying. It lives naturally in Georgia, and this has been confirmed. It has been seen in Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Tbilisi, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Shida Kartli, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Adjara, Imereti and Abkhazia. You can easily recognize a praying mantis by its triangular, movable head, large eyes, long body and the front legs it uses to catch prey. Adult females are usually larger and heavier, while males are slimmer and more active. It may be green, brownish, straw-colored or yellow-brown, so don't rely on color alone.
Identification
European mantis: how to identify it
Mantis religiosa is a large insect with a long body, a movable triangular head and large eyes. It catches prey with its front legs, and at rest it folds them as if praying. It can be green, brownish or straw-colored, so don’t rely on color alone to identify it.
A praying mantis has a triangular, very mobile head. Its large, prominent eyes sit on the sides of the head. This often makes it look as though it is following a person or something else with its eyes.
Its front legs are built for catching prey and carry strong spines. At rest, it keeps them folded in front of its body. When prey appears, it shoots them out very quickly and grabs it.
The body is long, and the front part of the chest is elongated as well. Adults have developed wings. Females are usually bulkier and heavier, while males are relatively slimmer.
In the wild, both green and brownish individuals occur. Both blend in well with their surroundings. So you cannot reliably identify Mantis religiosa by color alone.
A young mantis looks like an adult, but is smaller. It has no wings yet, or only the small beginnings of its wings are visible.
The praying mantis usually lives in warm, sunny, open places with plenty of plants. These include tall grass, shrubs, field edges, dry grassy areas and gardens. It may also live in urban green spaces, if some natural habitat remains there and there are enough plants and prey. It is recorded in 9 regions of Georgia. This does not mean it is equally common everywhere: the number of records also depends on how actively people have observed it.
The European mantis map combines Reptiles.ge editorial photo records with public iNaturalist observations. Individual field records are shown as point data, and record counts reflect observation effort rather than population density.
Data: Reptiles.ge + iNaturalist · Methodology
- Field observation
- Several records in one spot
- Photo record
- Source-confirmed region
A mantis mainly catches other insects and similar small animals. It hunts by lying in wait and holds its prey with front legs shaped for grabbing. A large mantis may also catch relatively large prey. Seeing one in a garden does not mean a pest has appeared there. Nor is there any guarantee that a mantis will reduce the number of pests in the garden.
A praying mantis often sits motionless on grass or a bush, waiting for prey to come close. With its movable head and large eyes, it watches everything around it. When prey comes near, it quickly folds its front legs and catches it. The praying mantis spends the winter as eggs, held together in a single cluster. It does not go through a complete transformation as it grows: the young mantis that hatches from the egg already looks like an adult but does not yet have wings. This insect lives across a wide area, and in many places adults are seen especially during the warm season.
Worldwide, Mantis religiosa faces a low risk of extinction. That does not mean it is doing equally well everywhere. In some places, changes to open areas, intensive management of those areas, pesticides and the killing of these insects may harm it. In Georgia, it is recorded in many places.
gogopopo · Gocha Nemsadze · Zauri Khachidze · Gio Modzmana · Armen Seropian · woodukdr · Natalia Bulbulashvili · Toko Sebiskveradze · danielcma
Related guides
Continue with related pages
Yes, the European mantis (Mantis religiosa) lives naturally in Georgia, and this has been confirmed. It is recorded in 9 regions of the country.
The mantis has been seen in the wild in Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Tbilisi, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Shida Kartli, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Adjara, Imereti and Abkhazia. You are most likely to see it in warm, sunny places with plants: gardens, fields with tall grass and areas with shrubs.
Look for a movable, triangular head, large eyes, a long body and front legs it uses to catch prey. It holds its folded front legs as if praying. It may be green, brownish or straw-colored. So don’t rely on color alone to identify it.
No. A praying mantis is neither venomous nor poisonous to humans. If you pick one up, it may bite you or grip you with its spiny front legs. This is not considered a serious health risk.
The mantis mainly catches other insects and similar small animals. It waits for prey in ambush, then holds it with its quick, spiny front legs.
Adult mantises are mostly seen during the warm season. The species lives across a wide area. In many places in the northern part of that area, adults are seen especially in summer.
No, there's no need to pick up a praying mantis. Catching a wild animal rarely helps you identify it and may injure the animal itself. It's better to watch the mantis where you found it, or take a photo without touching it.
References
What this profile is based on
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
Prepared by the Reptiles.ge editorial team from the sources listed here.
