Chinese Mantid

European Mantis eyes change color (darken). I think all mantids do that. I think older Chinese Mantis nymphs usually have reddish/brownish on their legs (not sure, cant remember, just vaguely remember that).

This one is a nymph, so it doesn't have wings yet to have the green outline and that would also account for the small size as it isn't fully grown. The thing that struck me most with this is the eyes are dark. The eyes of Chinese Mantids change color depending on the time of day. At sunset they turn chocolate brown. http://bugguide.net/node/view/210815/bgimage http://bugguide.net/node/view/38772/bgimage As far as I know, the European Mantis' eyes do not change color. Additionally, the European Mantis usually has purple femora on the back legs like this: http://bugguide.net/node/view/773844/bgimage Green colored Chinese Mantids have all green hind legs. http://bugguide.net/node/view/828032/bgimage Snapdragon, do you happen to have any other images of this mantis? What time of day/night did you find it?

And it is smaller, where as Chinese mantis are usually larger.

I think is a European vs a Chinese. Does it have a "bulls eye" on the inner upper arms? If it does, that a European Mantis, if it doesn't then Chinese is correct, but typically Chinese mantis are brown with a green outline on the wings.

Pretty nymph.

Tenodera. Pictures. Tenodera, female (yours look like a male) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Green_pre-sub-adult_female_Tenodera_sinensis1.JPG Mantis religiosa http://bugguide.net/node/view/773844/bgimage These mantids do vary in looks at different instars.