The Mantids are a group of 1800 carnivorous insects.
Most mantids are from tropical countries although a few do occur in cooler climates.
Their closes relatives are the stick insects, grasshoppers, and cockroaches. Because of their tropical origins they need to be kept warm, as a general rule 20C to 25C will be ideal. As the mantis grows it will shed its skin several times, becoming larger a each stage. It can progress into a jam jar or milk bottle and finally into a sweet. The top of the yoghurt pot can be covered with several layers of clingfilm, with a strip of sellotape over the top.