Head to head
Narrow-Winged Mantis vs Chinese Mantis
The narrow-winged mantis and Chinese mantis are both East Asian species introduced to North America that now share much of the same grassland and garden habitat, close enough in appearance that one is routinely mistaken for the other.
| Narrow-Winged Mantis | Chinese Mantis | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Tenodera angustipennis | Tenodera sinensis |
| Relative size | Smaller, slimmer body | Larger, bulkier body |
| Wing width | Noticeably narrower | Broader |
| Native region | East Asia | East Asia |
| Known to catch hummingbirds | Rarely reported | Documented, though uncommon |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
| Habitat | Grassland | Grassland and forest |
| Diet | Carnivore | Carnivore |
Narrow-Winged Mantis vs Chinese Mantis: common questions
How can you tell a narrow-winged mantis from a Chinese mantis?
Size and build are the most reliable clues: the Chinese mantis is considerably larger and bulkier, with females reaching up to about 11 centimetres, while the narrow-winged mantis is noticeably slimmer with visibly narrower wings, the feature that gives the species its common name.
Are both mantises native to the United States?
No, both the narrow-winged mantis and the Chinese mantis are native to East Asia and were introduced to North America, where both have since established populations across much of the eastern United States, often sharing the same grassland and garden habitat.
Which of these two mantises is more likely to catch a hummingbird?
The Chinese mantis is the one documented doing this, since its considerably larger size gives it the bulk needed to ambush and overpower a hovering hummingbird at a nectar feeder, a feat the smaller, slimmer narrow-winged mantis is not well suited to attempt.