# What Do Orchid Mantises Eat?

> What orchid mantises eat: Carnivore (insects, especially pollinators), foraging style, and seasonal shifts in Tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia.

- **Species:** Orchid Mantis (*Hymenopus coronatus*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Carnivore (insects, especially pollinators)
- **Habitat:** Tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia
- **Lifespan:** Females around 8 months; males shorter
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/orchid-mantis/what-do-orchid-mantis-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/orchid-mantis/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) is a small predatory insect from the rainforests of Southeast Asia, named for its petal-like legs and pink-and-white colouring that resemble a flower. Females reach around 6 to 7 cm long, while males are far smaller at about 2.5 to 3 cm. It ambushes visiting pollinators such as bees and flies, and adults live for roughly a year. It is listed as Least Concern.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## Flower mimicry

The orchid mantis is one of the natural world's most striking mimics, with broad, flattened lobes on its legs that look like flower petals and a body coloured in soft pinks and whites. Rather than copying any single orchid, it presents a general impression of a bloom that insects find attractive. Research has shown that the mantis is not just camouflaged but acts as a lure: pollinators are drawn towards it even more readily than to some real flowers. The insect can also shift its colour over days, deepening or fading its pink to match its surroundings.

## Help protect the Orchid Mantis

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/orchid-mantis/what-do-orchid-mantis-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.