Brown Mantidfly

Natural Habitat

Fields, forests, and gardens, often found near spider populations or on vegetation.

Diet & Feeding

Adults are predators of small insects; larvae are specialized parasites of spider egg sacs.

Behavior Patterns

Active during the day and attracted to lights at night. They undergo hypermetamorphosis where larvae search for spiders to hitch a ride to an egg sac.

Risks & Benefits

Harmless to humans; beneficial to the ecosystem as they help control small insect populations, though they do impact spider populations.

Identified on: 4/19/2026