Color of Clown mantis and age

[Alex]

I have a 4 inch Clown mantis. His body is mostly olive drab but the bright green is only on his tail end. What I am wondering is does the bright green move up his body as he gets older or does it stay the same colors.

Alex

[moviegeek]

In my experience mantis get slightly darker with each molt (e.g. from beige with green mottling to less mottling and more olive green). This is a good question to ask. I'm curious what others have observed with their mantis.

I've seen pictures of juvenile mantis in the 2-3" range that were very colorful, but lost much of this color with age. ScottL I believe had a bright fiery red mantis that darkened as it got older.

[ISFRAEL]

my newest bug is 1" and he was a light olive green when i got him but he molted recently and his legs are becoming a very nice aqua green and his pattern is starting to become more pronounced! very unusual colour but thats what i like about them is how much the colours seem to differ!

[kennerd]

ISFRAEL:

I have a 1.75 inch (4.5 cm) smasher with the same coloring as the one you are describing....he began as an ugly brown/olive green color, and with successive molts, has become a great emerald green/aqua color with grey eyes.

[ISFRAEL]

that sound about the same kennard!

he is my favourite mantis so far as he is so aggresive when it come to feeding.
he will throw himself out of his lr cave and come charging at the food before its even near his cave.
he doesnt even look and see if there is any predator around before he come a rushn like most mantis do!
hes alot better than the shy retiring mantis i usually get
im happy!