# which is the largest praying mantis species?



## jamesmikosz (Jul 21, 2009)

i recently bought a giant asian praying mantis and ive read that is one the largest, however ive read that the other two largest is the chinese and giant indian. but which species is actually the largest?:hmm:


----------



## jakakadave (Dec 29, 2009)

It's Plistospilota guineensis i believe, but you don't see em very often. I've never seen em for sale myself.


----------



## shep1979 (Feb 24, 2008)

i have plisto's at sub adult cant wait for them to hit adult to get some good pics


----------



## jakakadave (Dec 29, 2009)

shep1979 said:


> i have plisto's at sub adult cant wait for them to hit adult to get some good pics


I'd like to get in the queue when you breed them please chap!


----------



## jamesmikosz (Jul 21, 2009)

shep1979 said:


> i have plisto's at sub adult cant wait for them to hit adult to get some good pics


 wow can u email some pics when it gets to adult size?


----------



## jamesmikosz (Jul 21, 2009)

thanks to all who gave me their input, its very much appreciated =]


----------



## Gomjaba (May 25, 2009)

Probably not largest, but she sure was big


----------



## The Antichrist (Apr 13, 2010)

i have had a couple of tenodera sinensis (chinese mantis) and they grew to 5.5-6 inches long as well as this they are very active hunters and the most interesting mantis to watch in my personal oppinion!


----------



## Bassy1019 (Jan 21, 2010)

*Mantid*

If u breed these shep will want a few please, pm Meir and when?


----------



## mikeburmese (Jul 9, 2012)

*Worlds largest mantis*

The largest mantis I have seen was a 16.5cm body length S.American Stagmatopters sp, I used to breed Indian giant stick mantis Schizocephala bicornis and they measure about 13cm body length, though very slim, I doubt a 45cm long mantis could get enougth oxygen to move so I am very iffy about the 1927 Chinese record

cheers

Mike


----------



## ouchitbitme (Sep 1, 2013)

I have a Rhombodera species from thailand which is easily the bulkiest species I've come across. Females are about 11cm long, pastel green with red/pink clouring on the underside of the thorax down to where the abdomen starts. adults can easily tackle adult locusts and large cockroaches. I'll have a small number of nymphs spare in the next few weeks if you're interested


----------



## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

some say the madagascan giant mantis is one of the biggest.


----------



## Metamorphosis (Feb 25, 2008)

*mantids*

Hi
we have kept many species over the years and the largest in terms of bulk is the Rhombodera sp. 1, (there are about four species doing the rounds that look very similar and are all going as Rhombodera sp. 'Thailand') but these are huge and we are into forth generation now ( with some spare if you email us) and they still hold the size! great species, and seem to be generally much heaver than Plistospilota (which he also bred many of)But there are some much longer mantids, even some of the African and Indian stick mantids can get huge, we have caught S. bicornis in the wild that where around 7" !!!

Regards to all

Graham & Janice


----------

