Popa spurca (Stal 1856) –
African Twig Mantis

Introduction

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Popa spurca is one of the most widespread yet difficult to find mantis species. This master of camouflage can be hard to find due to its exquisite hiding strategy. Everything about this mantis, down to the very textures on its body, are meant to play the part of a twig on a tree. This mantis is able to stretch its arms and abdomen out, and huddle close to the branch, hiding its watchful gaze from predator and prey alike. When threatened, this species will fall to the ground, hiding among the other twigs and maybe even siblings that are as hard to see as them.

 

Despite their seemingly slim and skimpy appearance, this species is still an aggressive hunter. They will not typically chase down their prey, but they will not hesitate to take down an insect that makes the poor decision of passing by. This species gets to a decent size, is very easy to care for, making them an ideal beginner mantis. Because they don’t move much, groups can be kept together for a very interesting display!

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Sexing

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As with all mantises, males have 8 external sternites, and females have 6.  

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Keeping

 

Popa can be kept communally until instar 4, after which it is advisable to separate. They become more territorial at this stage to smaller individuals so more space should be provided.  Offering multiple perches via sticks or plants is recommended for communal setups to help avoid conflict. This species generally has trouble climbing plastic especially well, so rough surfaces or paper towel lined enclosures are recommended. They also need to be kept well ventilated, as excess moisture can cause sickness.

 

Recommended space is as follows:

 

Instar 1 – 3: 8 oz Deli Cup

Instar 4 - 7: 32 oz Deli Cup

Instar 8 (Adult): 80 oz Deli cup

 

Feeding

 

Instar 1 - 3  – Drosophila species

Instar 4 – Adult – Houseflies, Blue bottle flies, Small Crickets, Roaches

 

Breeding

 

Standard mantis mating practices will suffice for this genus. Place the male on a branch and give him some time to calm down. Once both the male and female are 3 – 4 weeks old, mating can occur. Place the female around 6 – 8 inches away from him and prod her to move. Once the male sees the female he will watch her carefully and attempt to get in a position to mount. Males in this species are skittish, so this process may take several hours.

 

Once mating begins, they will mate for anywhere from 4 – 10 hours. After mating is finished, the male will detach and fly away on his own. Females will lay an oothecae after 2 – 3 weeks, containing anywhere from 40 - 80 nymphs. After an incubation period of 4 – 6 weeks at 60 – 80% humidity, they will emerge at once (though in rare cases it may take up to a few days). Once emerged, nymphs are fairly active and resemble the adults . They can begin to feed after 24 – 36 hours.