Mantidae is the largest family of the order Mantodea, commonly known as praying mantises; most are tropical or subtropical. Historically, this was the only family in the order, and many references still use the term "mantid" to refer to any mantis. Technically, however, "mantid" refers only to members of the Mantidae family, and not the 14 remaining families of mantises—here on All Species, this is also considered the case, though invented mantises classified as mantids will be fully allowed in this category while real non-mantid mantises will not be placed here.
Many species are found in North America, the three most common being the European Mantis (Mantis religiosa), the Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis), and the Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina). Of these, only the last is native to the continent—the European and Chinese species were introduced in the 20th century as predators in an attempt to control pest populations in gardens.
All items (3)
