Species Stagmomantis limbata

Moderately large Mantid. Facial plate (below and between antennae) about twice as wide as long (as for genus), eyes not as protruding as in Carolina Mantid. Females most often fairly plain green (often yellowish abdomen), but sometimes gray, or light brown, with dark spot in middle of tegmina. Tegmina do not completely cover wide abdomen. Hind wings checkered or striped yellow.

Males slender, long-winged, variable in color but most often green and brown with sides of folded tegmina green and top brownish (may be solid gray, brown, green, or any combination of these). Abdomen without prominent dark spots on top. Wings transparent, usually with cloudy brownish spots on outer half.

Texas to southern California, north into Colorado and Utah, south into Mexico.

Variable, often in open semi-arid areas in tall forbs, shrubs, or trees, but more abundant in lusher, often riparian and wooded areas of streamsides, roadsides, canyons, in towns, etc.

Overwinter as eggs; hatch in spring or early summer; adults mostly in summer and autumn. Females in particular may sometimes survive well into winter.

Other insects (including sometimes their own kind).

Attracted to lights, and males often fly to lights in numbers, but females don't fly.