Head to head
Carolina Mantis vs Chinese Mantis
A Carolina mantis and a Chinese mantis now share the same gardens across much of the southeastern United States, yet one has lived there for millennia while the other arrived by accident just over a century ago.
| Carolina Mantis | Chinese Mantis | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Stagmomantis carolina | Tenodera sinensis |
| Origin | Native to North America | Introduced from East Asia, circa 1896 |
| Size | Smaller, more compact | Largest mantis in North America |
| Known prey | Insects and small invertebrates | Insects, and occasionally hummingbirds |
| Visibility in gardens | Often overlooked | Conspicuous, frequently noticed |
| Population relative to the other | Often outnumbered locally | Often outnumbers the native species |
| Egg case | Smaller, less commonly sold | Large, foam-textured, sold commercially |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Carolina Mantis vs Chinese Mantis: common questions
Is the Chinese mantis really big enough to catch a hummingbird?
Yes, large female Chinese mantises have been documented ambushing hummingbirds at flowers and feeders by gripping them with their spined front legs, with a worldwide review finding around 150 such records, the majority involving this species in North America, a scale of prey the much smaller native Carolina mantis could never manage.
Why do people notice the Chinese mantis more than the native Carolina mantis?
The Chinese mantis is considerably larger and more conspicuous, and its populations often outnumber the smaller, more easily overlooked Carolina mantis in shared garden habitat, making it the mantis most people actually notice despite the Carolina mantis being the species originally native to the region.
How did the Chinese mantis end up in North America?
It was brought to North America around 1896, reportedly arriving on nursery stock near Philadelphia, and has since spread across much of the eastern and central United States, an introduction that occurred more than a century after the native Carolina mantis had already been established throughout the same region.