Darth Vader Mantis

Parablepharis kuhlii or commonly called the the Darth Vader Mantis/Vietnamese Ghost Mantis is a rare and highly sought after species originating from India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Borneo, and Java. Given their name for their fierce appearance and sometimes near black coloration. 

Darth Vader Mantis Care

Housing:

Mantises don’t require much space but the cage or container needs to be able to accommodate them as they grow. Generally the container must be 3x the mantis length and 2x for the width. It must be well ventilated to prevent the growth of mold

This species can be cabalistic. 

Temperature:

They prefer temps from 75-86 F, and can go lower at night.  Anything lower than 70 can be dangerous. A heat lamp or heating pad can be used to get the desired temp.



Humidity:

They can have a large range but prefer humidity from 70-80%. Daily misting can meet these requirements.

Water:

Ghost mantises do not require standing water to drink and receive most of their moisture from their food. They will however drink water drops from misting. Good ventilation is required to prevent mold growth from higher humidity

Feeding:

Flying insects are the preferred source of food. As nymphs fruit flies are the ideal food source and increase to house flies and blue/green bottle flies as they get larger. They also will enjoy moths or other harmless flying insects. It’s recommended that the size of the feeder insect does not exceed 1/2 the mantis length.

Adults can eat crickets or roaches. Most pet stores sell fruit flies and wax worms that can be grown into moths. Larger flies can found easily from online suppliers or sometimes from bait shops.