Hierodula majuscula
Giant rainforest mantis
General Information
| Scientific name: | Hierodula majuscula |
| Common name: | Giant rainforest mantis / Australian giant mantis |
| Distribution: | Australia |
| Habitat: | Rainforest |
| Size: | Female up to 10 cm Male up to 9 cm |
| Livespan: | Female up to 2 years Male up to 1,5 years |
| Colour variations: | Adults always green, nymphs variate beween green, yellow and brown |
| Aggressivity: | High* |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
*up to L4/L5 group-housing possible
Systematics
| Order: | Mantodea |
| Family: | Mantidae |
| Subfamily: | Mantinae |
| Tribe: | Paramantini |
| Genus: | Hierodula |
First description (year): TINDALE (1923)
More species of this genus (similar keeping and appearance):
- Hierodula membranacea BURMEISTER (1838)
- Hierodula patellifera SERVILLE (1839)
Keeping
Species is suitable for free-range keeping
Enclosure (LxWxH):
- Single-housing: from 20 x 20 x 30 cm
- Small nymphs can be reared in smaller enclosures (for moulting they need twice their body length free space downwards)
Two ventilation areas (gaze at top + front) adviced to prevent waterglogging.
Temperature:
Days 22 - 30 °C, nights room temperature (below 18°C no problem)
Relative humidity:
~ 40 - 60 %
Set-up:
- Substrate: Soil, sand, kitchen paper, gravel, coco humus etc. (animals seldom stay on the ground)
- Branches (also horizontal/bent) with ~ 2 - 3 cm diameter.
- Living or artificial plants (Beware of pesticides!)
- Clean with vinegar or biodegradable glass cleaner (afterwards rinse with clear water)
Feeding Recommendation
| L1/L2 | Small fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) and Big fruit flies (Drosophila hydei) |
| L3/L4 | Big fruit flies (Drosophila hydei) and Greenbottle flies |
| L4/L5 | Greenbottle flies |
| L6 to adult | Bluebottle flies |
This species also feeds on crawling insects like crickets/roaches etc.
Gender Determination
In general: 8 visible sternites (ventral segments) at males, 6 at females (compare with Hierodula membranacea).
Biology
Adult stage (= full-grown + winged):
Females + males in L10
Amount of moults variates (especially under abnormal temperatures or injuries)
Sexually mature after adult moult:
Males ~ 3 weeks
Females ~ 4 weeks
Copulation duration:
~ 3 hours
Oothecae (egg-cases)
Size: ~ 4-5 cm
Form: roundish/oval
Colour: light brown
Oviposition place: thick branches or bark
First ooth after adult moult: ~ 5 - 6 weeks
Interval: ~ 20 days
Amount: up to 5 oothecae
Incubation and hatch
Duration: ~ 5 - 7 weeks
Temperatures like animals (see above), rel. humidity over 50% (with good ventilation)
Nymph quantity: up to 150
Size freshly hatched (L1): ~ 5 mm
All given information only for orientation. Actual facts always depend on temperature and food availibility etc.!
More
The Australian giant mantis is similar to the appearance of the Indian giant mantis (Hierodula membranacea), but it is easily distinguished from this by their red coloured inner sides of the fang arms even in small instars. Also, the larval stages of the Australian Giant Mantis are not always green as is typical in Hierodula membranacea. They can be bright yellow or reddish.
Since, like other species of the genus Hierodula, it also captures very large animals (up to its own size), the cannibalistic rate is high in the rearing of nymphs. Already from L3 they partially capture gold flies and attack each other.
Sources
- Own experience
Often available in the shop.
