Praying mantis are smaller and lightweight insects that can easily hide within the leaf curls and jump on tree branches, showing swift movements due to their lighter bodies.
How Much Does a Praying Mantis Weigh? According to our research, praying mantis weigh between 4 to 5 grams on average, but it can vary according to its body size, gender, age, diet, and rate of activity. West African Mega Mantis is the heaviest, while the Ground Mantis is considered the lightest. Furthermore, almost 100 praying mantis can make up one pound.
They are predatory creatures commonly found in the garden and invade plants without causing any noticeable damage to their leaves, stems, and other parts.
These innocent creatures look lovely to see when they attain a praying position by bending their legs forward while preying.
What is the average body weight of a praying mantis?
The praying mantis are relatively lighter insect that can be easily carried on the hands when you want to play with these tiny pets at home.
Their average body weight varies according to their species, as some insects are bigger and heavier, while others are smaller and lighter.
West African mantis is one of the heaviest insects belonging to this genus of Mantises because their bodies can extend from 4 to 6 inches.
Their body weight is around 6g (6000mg), equal to almost 0.21 ounces. In addition, the Chinese mantis can also reach a maximum body length ranging between 4 to 5 inches and are around 5.8g.
Moreover, the Bordered California mantis are approximately 5g and 4g, considered the heavier among those in this category of insects.
However, the dragon mantis are lighter insects and weighs only 3g or 0.11 ounces because their bodies are only 1.6 to 1.8 inches long.
The orchid mantis is also a smaller insect ranging between 2.3 to 2.7 inches longer in body and weighs around 4g or 0.14 ounces. The Devil’s Flower Mantis is approximately 5.6g in weight.
So, their average body weight ranges between 4 to 5g, but it can vary according to their diet and gender as genetics and some external factors directly impact it.
Types of praying mantis with weight in grams, weight in ounces, and body size
| Types of praying mantis | Weight in grams | Weight in mg | Weight in ounce | Body size |
| Chinese mantis | 5.8g | 5800mg | 0.20 ounce | 4 to 5 inches |
| European mantis | 4g | 4000mg | 0.14 ounce | 1.9 to 2.3 inches |
| Dragon mantis | 3g | 3000mg | 0.11 ounce | 1.6 to 1.8 inches |
| African mantis | 6g | 6000mg | 0.21 ounce | 4 to 6 inches |
| Bordered mantis | 5g | 5000mg | 0.17 ounce | 3 to 3.5 inches |
| Spined dwarf mantis | 3g | 3000mg | 0.11 ounce | 1.6 to 2.2 inches |
| Carolina mantis | 4g | 4000mg | 0.14 ounce | 2.2 to 2.5 inches |
| Devil’s flower mantis | 5.6g | 5600mg | 0.19 ounce | 3.8 to 5 inches |
| Budwing mantis | 5.5g | 5500mg | 0.19 ounce | 3.5 to 4 inches |
| California mantis | 4g | 4000mg | 0.14 ounce | 2 to 3 inches |
| Orchid mantis | 4g | 4000mg | 0.14 ounce | 2.3 to 2.7 inches |
What is the heaviest and lightest praying mantis?
Many people consider that the heaviest praying mantis is the largest one of these insects. That is true, but other factors, like eating habits, also matter.
Moreover, the heaviest species of praying mantis is the West African mega mantis, which weighs around 12 to 13g because they have longer bodies.
They have huge arms and mandibles that can help capture prey with a bigger trap. These aggressive insects can hold bigger prey animals between their forelegs by attaining a praying position.
This species is native to Africa and commonly found in the savannah woodlands of Central and West Africa. It needs around 76 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit temperature to grow rapidly.
You can find this dull brown to bright green insect hidden behind the bushes while waiting for its prey to come and attack aggressively.
In addition, the lightest one is the Ground mantis or Bolbe pygmaea because it is considered the smallest insect among mantises.
It has 0.38 inches body length and weighs less than 0.8 to 1g. It appears straight in shape, having brown-colored bodies that help it blend with the background environment to avoid predators.
Furthermore, it is commonly found in Australia and lives only for almost 2 to 4 months on average, but those living in captivity can live longer than wild insects.
How many praying mantis can make one pound?
Many praying mantis are required to make up one pound because each insect weighs only a few grams or ounces.
There are 454g in one pound, and each insect makes up 4 to 5g weight on average. According to an estimation, almost 114 praying mantis can make up one pound if they have a 4g body weight.
In the same way, a group of 91 praying mantis can make up one pound if the average body weight of all these insects is around 5g.
So, you can roughly estimate that around 100 praying mantis, having an average body weight of 4 to 5g, can make around one pound on a weighing balance.
However, this number could increase and decrease according to the body mass of each member, as some can be bigger than others due to their varying eating habits.
What factors determine the weight of a praying mantis?
Praying mantis have varying body sizes and diet patterns that directly impact their body weight. You can see variations in the body mass of insects of the same species.
Those insects with bigger bodies are assumed to be heavier than those with smaller body lengths because their bodies usually have higher muscular mass.
The dragon mantis is lighter than the budwing mantis and weigh around 0.11 ounces and 0.19 ounces because their bodies are 1.6 to 18 inches and 3.5 to 4 inches longer.
In addition, genetics also plays a crucial role in determining body mass because males and females have different body lengths.
Adult females are usually bigger than males, with a difference of 1 to 2 inches, so they are logically heavier than their mates due to increased body mass.
In the same way, the age factor also contributes as nymphs are lighter than adults because they lack external features like wings that add to their overall weight.
Adult insects have developed exoskeletons and wings in addition to increased body size, so they gain mass later when they grow from nymphs to adults.
Dietary habits have a direct role in gaining body weight, as pet insects are usually heavier than the wild species because they have lower activity rates and get plenty of food within the cage.
In contrast, wild insects have to make efforts to capture their prey and go through mental and physical exhaustion while targeting and hunting prey.
So, a healthy diet and lower activity levels can help praying mantis gain mass, while those with irregular food availability and engagement in more activities are usually lighter.
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