Sphodromantis gastrica
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Sphodromantis gastrica, with the common names African mantis or common green mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa. It averages 65–75 millimetres (2.6–3.0 in) in body length, and has a very diverse diet, hunting any prey of reasonable size. It has a lifespan of approximately 332 days and usually females live longer than males. Their survival rate until adulthood is about 41.8%.
African mantis List of mantis genera and species Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johannesburg | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Green Mantis sighting in iSimangaliso Wetland Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 203rd most-seen of the 316 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–March and May–June
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Green Mantis in iSimangaliso Wetland Park on a given day, against under 5% in April and July–January, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Green Mantis sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Common Green Mantis sightings, iSimangaliso Wetland Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Kruger National Park (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Mantidae
The closest relatives of the Common Green Mantis that you can see in iSimangaliso Wetland Park (family Mantidae, Mantids) are Flag Mantis (about 10%) and Zebra Mantis (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Green Mantis is recorded against all the insects logged in iSimangaliso Wetland Park (8 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
