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Chinese Mantid

Tenodera sinensis

Photo by ForestDragon
Published on Project Noah
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40.7557, -73.5876

Field Notes

Description:

Large, light brown mantid with green along the front margin of the forewings. Stripes on face. I believe this was a male.

Habitat:

Suburban yard. Found clinging to a privacy screen.

Notes:

The Chinese Mantid is an introduced species (intentionally). They are large, efficient predators (as far as insects go). Though Chinese Mantids are thought of as beneficial, they will eat whatever they can catch from honeybees, butterflies, grasshoppers, other mantids, to small lizards, frogs and even hummingbirds!

Reference Links:

Subspecies Tenodera sinensis sinensis - Chinese Mantis - BugGuide.Net

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (6)
Mr. Goldfish
You can look at the hindwings also. The T. sinensis has more markings on it's hind wings. http://bugguide.net/node/view/576042
ForestDragon
T. Angustipennis has orange between the raptorial arms, according to Bug Guide. Either way, I didn't get a pic of that area.
Mr. Goldfish
By established I mean not common. I got T. angustipennis mixed up with Lucanus maculiformis. I only read that T. angustipennis live in Siberia.
Mr. Goldfish
Yes, there is a way to tell a difference. http://bugguide.net/node/view/576042 Sometimes T. angustipennis has a yellow dot instead of an orange one (I have not seen that myself, but I saw pictures of a female with yellow). T. angustipennis does not seem yet established in the NC, but I think they will. T. angustipennis are in Pennsylvania. Also I have read that T. angustipennis live in Amur where it is very cold.
ForestDragon
Is there a way you can identify this as T. angustipennis vs. T. sinensis? I didn't get a good picture of the area between the raptorial arms. I have only ever seen the T. sinensis (that I am aware of) in my area.

Spotted for Missions

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New England Arthropods
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The Bug Chicks Sofa Safari

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Photographed
PublishedMarch 13, 2014

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