page_title: Orthodera novaezealandiae
section_title: Cultivation
hierarchical_section_title: Orthodera novaezealandiae / Cultivation
caption_attribution_description: New Zealand Mantis (Orthodera novaezealandiae) laying eggs, Wellington Flickr description: "I was very pleased with myself catching this girl in action. Although I watched the case for months, I never did spot any babies. Now that would be an ever better shot: a hatching..."
context_page_description: Orthodera novaezealandiae, known as the New Zealand mantis or the New Zealand praying mantis, is a species of praying mantis which is, as both the scientific name and common names suggest, indigenous and endemic to New Zealand.
context_section_description: The New Zealand mantis is bred in captivity. Special care must be taken to prevent this small, quick-moving species from escaping. Nymphs are especially fast and can leap relatively far as well. It can be kept at room temperature (25–30 °C or 77–86 °F) but does prefer warmth. Their enclosure should be sprayed with water a few times a week, and when they are young their enclosure should be kept at around 50%–60% humidity. Captive O. novaezealandiae can be fed on a diet of small crickets and flies. Nymphs can be reared easily on fruitflies such as Drosophila melanogaster.
caption: Laying eggs
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