Skip to main content
Today is National Trails Day!
Close

Common Green Mantid And Prey

Sphodromantis Gastrica

Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

-33.9412, 18.4146

Field Notes

Description:

This girl and I go way back, I saved her from being closed in our neighbours gate and put here in the climbing grape we have in our garden where she has made a home. Today I managed to catch here at lunch on a shield bug.

Presents as a large vivid green mantis and a large abdomen (female). Strong fore limbs indicative of the mantis have demonstrated their versatility and lethality in this predator / prey series.

Habitat:

Common in gardens and wooded areas of the Cape

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (2)
Michael Strydom
Thanks Grace Miller, I updated the spotting. I did not use the Eastern Assassin bugs mission as Mantids are not assassin bugs although they make great 'assassins' :) . Assassin bugs belong to the Hemiptera Order (True Bugs) in the family Reduviidae and are so named because almost all are predatory and ambush their prey. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduviidae Mantids are in an order all of their own, Mantodea.
Grace M.
This could go under the Interactions Between Different Arthropods mission, and the Eastern Assassin Bugs mission.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
WILD Cities: Urban Biodiversity
Mission
Interaction between different species of Arthropods
Mission
2016 Best Wildlife Photo
Mission
South Africa's Creepy Crawlies
Photographed
PublishedMarch 14, 2016

Community Sponsor

Butterfly
Become a Community Sponsor and Help Grow our Global Movement!

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Butterflies icon
Become a Community Sponsor

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon

Nature & Conservation Organizations

Brands & Mission-Focused Companies