How Do Praying Mantis Poop? (5 Clear Facts)

Praying mantis are among the most unique-looking and interesting insects. In this article, you will find information about praying mantis pooping habits.

How do praying mantis poop? Praying mantis poop through their anal openings, with the actual poop taking the form of small pellets that are dark colored. However, praying mantises do at times also pass liquid feces, which is often a sign of them being unwell.

Sometimes, it can be hard to tell whether a praying mantis is pooping or laying eggs.

Indeed, people who keep praying mantis pets often find themselves wondering, is my praying mantis pooping or laying eggs?

So it is important to have an understanding of what praying mantis eggs look like. In that context, the basic guiding question is, what does a praying mantis egg sack look like?

Once you understand what a praying mantis’ eggs look like, you can be able to differentiate them from mantis poop.

Do Praying Mantis Poop?

Praying mantises do poop. When a praying mantis eats, the food goes through its digestive tract, with the waste coming out of the mantis’ anal opening as feces.

As such, we can assert that praying mantis do poop.

People who study praying mantises closely and those who keep mantis pets do report finding them pooping at times.

Indeed, the mantis pooping phenomenon can at times be terrifying to a person who has just started keeping a pet praying mantis.

It is not uncommon to hear such a person exclaiming, my mantis looks like it is pooping out the inside of its body.

And when you go online, you find lots of praying mantis poop pictures and videos of pooping praying mantises.

Therefore pooping is definitely something that praying mantises do.

How Do Praying Mantis Poop?

So far, we have established that praying mantis do poop.

The next logical question that comes up then is on how exactly they do it. So, indeed, how do praying mantis poop?

And the answer is that the praying mantises have anal openings near the back end of their bodies.

It is through those anal openings that praying mantis let out feces at the appropriate times.

The Mantises’ anal openings are connected to the Malpighian tubules, which effectively function as the mantis kidneys.

As such, the mantis poop comes mixed with their ‘urine’. The mantises usually poop every other day.

How Does Praying Mantis Poop Look?

In terms of structure, praying mantis poop is usually in the form of pellets.

However, there are also cases where praying mantises pass liquid poop – especially if they happen to be sick.

As for praying mantis poop color, that is usually dark: so it could be brownish or blackish.

Thus if you were wondering, what is the brown stuff coming out of my praying mantis, you need to know that it may indeed be poop.

Does Praying Mantis Poop Carry Germs?

A common concern for people who keep pet mantises is on whether their poop may carry germs.

So, what is the true position? Do praying mantis poop carry germs? The answer is yes, there is a possibility of praying mantis poop being contaminated with germs.

Sometimes, the poop may come out with germs from the mantis. Or the poop may acquire bacteria and other germs after it has been passed.

It is therefore advisable to wash hands properly after handling praying mantis poop.

Does Praying Mantis Poop Smell?

Another area of interest may be that of the smell of praying mantises’ poop.

So, do praying mantis smell – that is, more specifically, does the poop passed out by praying mantis smell? And the answer is that it may have a little rancid smell.

But all in all, the mantis poop pellets are usually so small that the smell in them is pretty much imperceptible (unless you bring the pellets very close to your nose).

So you don’t have to worry about keeping a pet mantis on account of the likely smell from its poop. The poop is so little that its smell is pretty much imperceptible.

Final verdict

Praying mantis do poop.

The praying mantises have anal openings, through which they pass feces.

The feces passed out by praying mantises are in the form of dark-colored pellets. But we sometimes also have mantises passing liquid poop, which can be a sign of them being unwell.

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️