Stagmomantis carolina is a medium sized mantid (about 35mm) that is extremely variable in color and camouflage. Both sexes are winged, with the female's being abbreviated, leaving 1/3 of the abdomen exposed.

female above, male below

Both sexes tegmina have a distinct stigma between the posterior radial vein and the anterior ulnar vein. In darker specimens, the stigma may be harder to determine and in lighter specimens quite distinct. Female's range from bright leaf green or a light yellow-tan to gray or brown and on into a perfect bark mimic. Gray individuals may have any of these colors and even a lovely pink mottled into them. The female's tegmina matches the body color and the wings range from blotched basally with a smoky blue-black in dark individuals to striped with distinct yellow ribbons more-or-less paralleling the anal edge in green individuals. Males range from green with darker joints to a green-stemmed brown twig imitation and on to an almost black-brown. Their tegmina are hyline, from light smoky to very dark smoky. The wings are always transparent with a blotch ranging from smoky gray to very heavy blue-gray covering the basal area and fading into the anal area. The female has a robust build while the male is slight. The adult female usually sits quietly waiting for prey and the male actively hunts. These mantids are caught mainly by bush sweeping, although the males will fly to lights.
As you can determine from the description and photos accompanying this article, this is an extremely variable mantid.& This variety has caused determination problems through the years, with a number of false species attributed to this animal (such as Prof. E. Giglio-Tos' S.nordica). One pair of "expert" Entomology students went so far as to describe 42 species. In the years I have reared this specie, I have had pure green, tan, gray, bark colored and almost black specimens emerge from the same ootheca. These are obviously NOT distinct species. There are about 13 species recognized in this genus, depending upon which key you accept.

Ootheca
The ootheca, or egg-case, is the means of depositing eggs for protection, whether through hiding or camouflage. It is composed of a protein which is whipped into a frothy consistency and shaped by the female's genitalia. This species ootheca is usually deposited on thick twigs or bark and resembles a gall or healed wound.

Oothecas, three healthy, one malformed

If it is laid upon a flat enough surface, it has a slightly squashed look and is wider, but will contain the same number of eggs. I have found them deposited on the inside surface of splitting, dead bark away from predatory eyes. The ootheca has a silvery paper covering upon deposit. This wears off to reveal a hazel-nut brown case. It is about 15-25mm long and can contain from 20-60 nymphs. Female's may lay short ootheca, but it is always about the same width. In cross-section, the ootheca contains an egg chamber of indeterminate length and about 8 eggs across. This is covered with a small insulation layer. As the winters in this species range can become quite severe (-30C or more), is seems apparent that this layer insulates from radiant heat rather than cold. A healthy ootheca has a clear light brown to grayish appearance with a nicely round-shouldered shape. An ootheca laid by an infertile female will be greatly malformed, with a "melted plastic" sort of look (the ootheca on the far right). Hatch-out is usually late May to early June, but sometimes as late as mid-July.

Development

1st Instar

The first instar nymphs are orangish with brown-banded knees.

Instar series

The second thru fourth instars are usually a series of unpretentious uniform greens, tans or browns. They then start phasing into the coloration of the adult. The female's abdomen starts widening in the last three instars while the male's stays thin. Both sexes are quite active until the last few instars, when the female's start becoming more sedentary.




Habitat

Combination grassland and woods

Stagmomantis carolina lives in almost any location, from heavy woods to marsh to grasslands. As one might expect, the coloration dominant in any given location matches the vegetation of that location. Grasses and leafy weed rows will yield more green specimens while the woods will yield mostly bark mimics. The Mark Twain forests are oak/cedar mix about 100 years old (there was a major forest fire at the turn of the century). The conditions vary from heavy rainy Springs to drought conditions in some Summers. Even in the drought of 1999, these mantids appear to have thrived, their numbers not being significantly smaller than in other years.




Rearing
I have reared carolina's for many years. They will suffer almost any abusive conditions and thrive.& I allow hatch-out in a small terrarium, then transfer the nymphs to separate little containers for the rest of their lives. I separate them because they are quite cannibalistic little critters and one can wind up with a single specimen in the tank in short order. Temperature is kept at anything within your comfort levels. They will drink from bottle caps, but don't need to. The food insects must be about half the mantid's size. They will eat frequently, but don't appear anxious to wrestle with prey, especially the males. They prefer to pluck up an insect and quietly munch away and will release anything that puts up too active a struggle. If they are hungry, they will pursue an insect, but prefer to wait in ambush. They are active at all hours with the males constantly roaming if space allows. I have seen a carolina do the typical mantid defense display, but only a few of times. I'm sure those photos one sees of carolinas in defense mode were the result of a series of raps to the head with a pencil or some other weapon. Normally these animals are very curious and tame. Inquisitive almost to the point of appearing playful and intelligent, they are easily goaded into a game of boxing with your finger (as it's kin started the various Mantid Kung-Fus), but only for a short time. Once they determine there is no danger, they see the object as useful for climbing.   If well fed, the female usually leaves the male alone to perform his duty during mating and to retreat unharmed (especially if given food just before courtship).


Thanks
Many thanks to my wife Charlotte. Without her acceptance of my preoccupation, I wouldn't be able to have this much quiet fun. And, of course, to Juerg and Thomas (I'm not sure who the chicken and egg are) for the inception of this wonderful site.


Bibliography

Prof. E. Giglio-Tos

Das Tierreich Mantidae

Berlin und Leipzig, 1927

If you want to see more pictures, have a look at the insect gallery.

Any ideas, comments or questions, e-mail me at

C.Herger Thomann cherger@townsqr.com