In the wild-
The African Lined Mantis (Sphodromantis lineola) is endemic to Central and Western sub-Saharan Africa, where is resides in forest and savanna thickets. Their wild diet usually consists of locusts, grasshoppers and other invertebrates, similar to what they are provided with in captivity.
What do they look like?
It is a medium/large species which can grow up to 8cm in length. They have large, long abdomens and like all mantids, thin, stem-like legs. The front pair of legs have a serrated edge to allow the mantis to catch and grip its large prey items. Their colour varies mantis to mantis, but is usually a shade of brown or green, which can be determined by environmental factors such as humidity. After the final moult, the adults will be capable of flight, which will show off their beautiful wings. These have small dots to resemble eyes (similar to butterflies) which confuses potential predators.
In captivity-
Housing and decor:
Mantis require height rather than width and depth due to their tree dwelling (arboreal) nature. A general rule of thumb for mantis enclosure size is three times the length on the mantis tall by two times the length of the mantis in width and depth, although bigger is always better! Remember this rule only calculates the bare minimum size. As the African Lined Mantis grows up to 8cm in length, a tank of at least 24cm by 16cm by 16cm (approximately 9.5 inches by 6 inches by 6 inches) is required. Our mantis is kept in a 30cm cube Exo Terra, which provides plenty of space. You can keep your mantis on something as simple as a paper towel, which enables easy cleaning, or add a soil substrate to your setup. You could take it a step further and go bioactive, a decision I decided to make with our ALM enclosure. Plentiful climbing opportunities in the form of twigs, plants, wood and even rock allow your mantis to hide, climb and hunt whilst replicating their natural sub-Saharan home. Live plants are optional, however I would always recommend them as they improve the overall natural look compared to those made with silk and plastic. A water bowl does not need to be provided as mantids receive liquid from their diet and droplets on leaves (read more about watering below), and it also comes with a risk of drowning.
Remember to house mantids separately due to their cannibalistic nature!
Heat, light and humidity:
As mantises are not a reptile, they do not require UBV lighting. If you wish to have lighting for your mantis, you could use a daylight bulb or LED lights, which would also keep live plants healthy, should you choose to add them to your setup. We use the Exo Terra Day/Night LED light, a product that works well with the smaller tanks. The ideal temperature range is between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius (68 and 77 Fahrenheit), although right up to 30 degrees Celsius is fine. This can drop by a few degrees overnight, but should never get too low. Heat is best maintained using a thermostat controlled heat mat placed on the side or underneath the habitat, although for some people additional heat may not be required due to a high room temperature. A hydrometer should also be placed in your habitat to allow you to monitor the correct humidity. This should be maintained between 50% and 60% and can be achieved by giving your mantids enclosure a light misting on a few days during the week.
Feeding:
Feeding is relatively simple for mantises. The main diet for young mantids is flightless fruit flies, although once they reach about 2.5-3cm (over an inch) in length, they will happily take medium crickets and locusts. As they get closer to adult size, slightly larger prey items including small dubia roaches can be given. Always remove any uneaten live food after a while (especially large prey), although you should leave enough time for the food to come across the mantis, as they will wait until the food approaches them before striking. This prevents damage being caused to your African Lined Mantis, or in the worst case, the prey becoming the predator.
Lifespan:
Unfortunately, all mantis species have quite short lifespans with most living no longer than a year. The average African Lined Mantis has a lifespan of between 6 and 9 months, although some can have have much shorter lives, often down to an environmental issue such as incorrect temperature.
Buying African Lined Mantids:
A large and hardy species, this mantis can be found for sale in local pet shops and online and, although not as popular as the Orchid Mantis, can be easily obtained. Where possible, I would buy in person as you can choose the best and healthiest looking mantis for yourself, rather than ordering from an online supplier. If none of your local shops have any available, it is worth asking them if they would be able to order one in for you, something most will gladly do. Expect to pay between £10 and £20. Prices can vary depending on which instar your mantis is (the instar increases by one after ever shed, so the lower the instar, the younger the mantis and the more time you'll be able to keep it for).
References:
My care sheets are mostly written from experience, however to make sure I give the best possible advice, I will compare with other owners views and successes. For this care sheet, I cross referenced with-
Keeping Insects: https://www.keepinginsects.com/praying-mantis/species/african-mantis/
Lucy Maughan: https://lucymaughan.wixsite.com/mantispets/african-lined-mantis
Thank you for reading my African Lined Mantis care sheet, I hope you found it helpful and informative! Good luck with your new invertebrate!