Phyllocrania paradoxa
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Phyllocrania paradoxa, common name ghost mantis, is a small species of mantis from Africa remarkable for its leaf-like body. It is one of the three species in the genus Phyllocrania, known for its distinct and exclusive camouflaged appearance of a dry, weathered leaf.
Compared to many other praying mantises, the ghost mantis is a "miniature species", growing to only about 45 to 50 mm (1.8 to 2.0 in) long. It occurs in various brownish shades from very dark brown (almost black) to greenish gray. An individual's colors change between molts and are also dependent on light and humidity levels.
Phyllocrania paradoxa is camouflaged so as to appear as dead, dried-up leaf material. It has an elongated head, a flattened, extended prothorax, and leaf-like protrusions from its limbs. This mantis also has a forewing that looks like a desiccated leaf, and the "creases" in the wings are actually shadings of pigment. In the wild, the ghost praying mantis effectively blends in against dead leaves. Predators such as birds tend to overlook insects that resemble their background, and by staying still, the ghost praying mantis can go unnoticed.
If threatened, big nymphs and adult females... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harare | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 2 | Pretoria | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Johannesburg | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Durban | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Ghost Mantis sighting in Harare on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 30th most-seen of the 93 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Common Ghost Mantis in Harare on a given day, against under 5% in August–October and December–January, the lowest months. That is one of Harare's driest months, with about 20 mm of rain against 200 mm in December.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Ghost Mantis sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Yes
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Common Ghost Mantis sightings, Harare has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Pretoria (South Africa, about 10%) and Johannesburg (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Hymenopodidae
The closest relatives of the Common Ghost Mantis that you can see in Harare (family Hymenopodidae, Flower Mantises) are Cryptic Mantis (about 20%) and Common Spiny Flower Mantis (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Ghost Mantis is recorded against all the insects logged in Harare (10 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
