All data for the systematics is taken from Reinhard Ehrmann's book "Mantodea - Gottesanbeterinnen der Welt" (Mantodea - Praying mantids of the world).
More about this book can be found in the section literature at this page.
Super-Order
Dictyoptera
Order
Mantodea
Family
Empusidae
Subfamily
Blepharodinae
Tribe
Empusini
First Description
Author
FABRICIUS
Year
1775
Size
Quotation of Size
The given size is measured from the head to the end of the abdomen, without the wings.
Male
ca. 5,5cm
Female
ca. 5cm- 6cm
Lifespan
Quotation of the Lifespan
The lifespan is given in month and has the following definition:
overall-age ("time between hatching and imago" + "lifespan after the last molting")
Example: 9 (2 + 7) month lifespan
overall-age = 9 month
time between hatching and imago = 2 month
lifespan after the last molting = 7 month
Male
ca. 6.5 (5 + 1.5) months
Female
ca. 11 (5 + 6) months
Sexing
Sexing
Morphologically differences between male and female.
Male
L4 and above: only by counting the abdominal appendages at the bottom of the abdomen (6 appendages)
adult: douple comped antennas, thin body
Female
L4 and above: only by counting the abdominal appendages at the bottom of the abdomen (5 appendages)
adult: big abdomen, normal and short antennas
Spreading
Spreading
For a better overview, only whole countries are listed for the quotation of spreading, even if a species can only be found in a small part of that country.
All data for the spreading is taken from Reinhard Ehrmann's book "Mantodea - Gottesanbeterinnen der Welt" (Mantodea - Praying mantids of the world).
More about this book can be found in the section literature at this page.
At the menu "Spreading" for each country only the genus but the species is printed (Exception: on this site described species).
North-Africa, South-West-Asia and Europe (Turkey and Canary Islands)
The description is based on mantids of the following origin:
Egypt
Africa
Asia
Europe
Habitat
bushes and thorny bushes
hot, dry and sunny places
Aggressiveness
low
Hint
very good hunters, they catch flying insects very good.
Make sure that the ventilation is quite well. Blepharopsis likes bright and hot places.
Mantids from the Canary Islands needs a break when they are older nymphs. Just lower the temperatures (15°C- 20°C). You can find the special periods and time at temperature -diagramms in the web.
