How long do mantises live?

Mantises are one of the most strange and captivating insects in the world. Usually known for their large, green body and their similarity with grasshoppers, mantises are very interesting animals.

That being said, we are not here to talk about how cool mantises are, but rather to answer the question how long do mantises live? And get to understand their lifecycle a lot better.

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Mantises lifespan

Mantises lifespan

Mantises don’t live long. Actually, they’re known for having a very short lifespan, and only managing to live up through one seasonal change, usually from spring to fall.

However, some studies have shown that their life expectancy can also vary. Some say mantises can live up to 8 months, being lucky enough to pass beyond fall.

It’s important to mention that some mantises can live up to a whole year, although this is not the common rule for smaller, regular mantises, which tend to die when fall comes.

How long do mantises live in the wild?

Mantises, as most insects, are a very tiny species. This means they aren’t natural predators; on the contrary, they can easily be eaten by larger insects or bigger animals.

But their natural predators aren’t the only thing that can somehow affect their lifespan and reduce their life expectancy. How long mantises get to live also depends on where they are located and if there’s enough food nearby at the time.

The more food there is, the longer can mantises live (and grow!), which is why, if they’re in a hostile environment, it’s very likely they will die sooner than if they were somewhere surrounded by leafhoppers, mosquitoes and caterpillars.

If the conditions are right, and the mantis gets to expand in size, chances are it will live up to 8 months in the wild without any problem at all, although their chances to making it pass the one year mark is still very rare.

How long do mantises live in captivity?

Like we mentioned before, mantises actually do live longer in captivity than in the wild, being able to live up to get to the one year mark.

Mantises lifespan

In captivity, mantises maintain the same diet than in the wild, meaning they are usually fed with very small insects during their very first weeks of life, and then move on to larger insects when they are finally adults.

Life expectancy of mantises according to the species

As to the different types of mantises and their lifespans, they all have a similar life expectancy (meaning up to 8 months). However, praying mantises are likely lo have a longer lifespan, being able to easily reach the one year mark without any problem.