Grizzled Mantid - Gonatista grisea

bark mantis

definitly grizzled bark mantis

… bugboy06, 11 October, 2017 - 4:31pm

Mantid

It looks like it could be, at least to my untrained eye, Gonatista grisea.

… Richard Leung, 20 February, 2005 - 11:14am

Gonatista grisea?

Excellent, that's what we were thinking and were hoping to get confirmation.

… john and jane balaban, 20 February, 2005 - 11:20am

Lichen Mantid?

G. grisea was my guess too. I have often see the females on artificial structures, perhaps looking for a egg site, or maybe they are attracted to the lights?

… Tony DiTerlizzi, 20 February, 2005 - 3:00pm

Lichen Mantid

Is "lichen mantid" the common name for this species? Larry West's book on insect photography (1) has a great picture of an immature green G. grisea wonderfully camouflaged on a lichenous tree trunk.

… Richard Leung, 20 February, 2005 - 3:15pm

Common names...

Growing up in Florida, they were always referred as "Lichen Mantids". The University of Florida's mantid key (1), calls it "Grizzled Mantid" and "Lichen Mimic"...so there's an example of both names being used.

hmmm...further browing at Herper.com also calls them "Grizzled Mantid"...so perhaps you are correct Richard in changing it to that, with "Lichen Mimic Mantid" listed as another common name...

… Tony DiTerlizzi, 21 February, 2005 - 9:49am