{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "praying-mantis",
  "name": "Praying Mantis",
  "scientificName": "Mantis religiosa",
  "category": "Insect",
  "summary": "The praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) is a predatory insect named for the way it holds its spined front legs folded as if in prayer. It is a patient ambush hunter of gardens, meadows, and shrubland, seizing insects and other small prey with a lightning strike. Most are 5 to 15 cm long, and adults typically live for about a year. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Arthropoda",
    "class": "Insecta",
    "order": "Mantodea",
    "family": "Mantidae",
    "genus": null
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.005,
    "lengthM": 0.075,
    "topSpeedKmh": 11,
    "lifespanYears": 1
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Mantis religiosa"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (insects and other small prey)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Gardens, meadows, shrubs, woodlands"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Up to about 1 year"
    },
    {
      "label": "Size",
      "value": "5–15 cm (2–6 in) depending on species"
    },
    {
      "label": "Vision",
      "value": "Can rotate head nearly 180°"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Warm and temperate regions worldwide, including Europe, Africa, and Asia, with species introduced to North America.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Asia",
      "Europe",
      "North America",
      "South America",
      "Oceania"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Mantis religiosa.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Mantis%20religiosa&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Mantis religiosa. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Mantis_religiosa/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Praying Mantis.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_mantis"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/praying-mantis/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/praying-mantis/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}