Insect and Spider Identification: CLOSED: are these Chinese Mantid, Tendora aridifolia?, 1 by lilydaydreamer

lilydaydreamer wrote:
While in the garden today I saw this multi-tasking female mantis - mating and eating at the same time! Curious, I tried to figure out what type of mantis they are. According to the UK entomology site only 3 species are found in KY. The one native species is the Carolina Mantis and the 2 introduced species are the Chinese and the European. I think my mantis pair is probably the Chinese species but I thought I would post and see if someone with more experience agrees or disagrees.

Side note - poor butterfly! This female must be a voracious eater since I also found wings of a swallowtail butterfly and at least 2 different moths below the plant. Sad to think praying mantis do not just eat pests.

Lisa