#4136 · 🦗 bugs, crickets & other insects
Mediterranean Mantis
Iris oratoria
📍 University, Riverside, CA 92507, USA
📍 Granada, ES-AN, ES
📍 Los Angeles County, US-CA, US
📍 House - Santee
10 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences
- 1. © Hailey Adler · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 2. © Toby · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 3. © Ferran Turmo Gort · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- 4. © Darin J McGuire · CC BY 4.0
- 5. © Katja Schulz · CC BY 4.0
- 6. © Juanvi · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 7. University, Riverside, CA 92507, USA:© Ian Wright · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 8. Granada, ES-AN, ES:© aggranada · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 9. Los Angeles County, US-CA, US:© Bruce Freeman · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 10. House - Santee:© BJ Stacey · CC BY-NC 4.0
what is it?
Iris oratoria , known by the common name Mediterranean mantis or (less frequently) iris mantis , is a widespread species of praying mantis native to Europe. It is found as an introduced species in the Middle East, Western Asia and the United States. Iris oratoria invaded southern California in the 1930s and seems to be spreading.
base stats
Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).
fun facts
- No confirmed wild sightings in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: you'd have to travel for this one.
- 14,244 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
- Scientifically named in 1758 (268 years ago).
fact sheet
- English
- Mediterranean Mantis
- scientific name
- Iris oratoria
- class
- Insecta
- order
- Mantodea
- family
- Eremiaphilidae
- IUCN Red List
- LC · least concern
- sightings in NL
- 0
- sightings in Europe
- 5,032
- sightings worldwide
- 14,244
- GBIF records in NL
- 2
- weight
- —
- length
- —
- lifespan
- —
- named
- 1758
IUCN in Dutch: niet bedreigd. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: iNaturalist taxon 67437, Wikidata Q2708969, GBIF 1404300, Wikipedia (EN), Wikipedia (NL). Intro text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.