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- "I caught an orchid mantis! It hunts in flowers!" —Wild World
- "I caught an orchid mantis! I kid you not, man!" —City Folk
- "I caught an orchid mantis! My eyes see all!" —New Leaf
The orchid mantis is a rare bug that can be found only on white flowers. Hard to spot due to its camouflage, many players only notice it after scaring it off. It cannot be found during rain. When approached, the orchid mantis will raise its body and spread its wings.
It is the rarer equivalent of the Mantis.
Donating to the Museum
Like other bugs in the Animal Crossing series, the orchid mantis can be donated to the Museum in all games, followed by Blathers giving a description.
In Wild World
Blathers speaks about the orchid mantis' camouflage:
"Ah, the orchid mantis fools other insects by looking like a flower, eh wot? Bugs approach for nectar... CHOMP! The mantis attacks! It shan't fool me, though! Just look at it! Can't you see the antennae twitching? Blech! Duplicitous wretch!"
It can be found on the bottom white rose in the row of flowers on the right of the first room, with the butterflies.
In City Folk
Blathers, the curator of the museum, talks of his own experiences with an orchid mantis:
"The orchid mantis has the awful habit of disguising itself as a flower in order to avoid its enemies. ...I say "awful" because of how revolting it is to touch a flower and feel the belly of a mantis! Oh, it was so soft and vile! Blech! The memories! I try to suppress them, but they always come flooding back!"
The orchid mantis is found on the central white pansy, amongst the butterflies, on the lower tier of the bug room.
In New Leaf
In New Leaf an information board in the bug exhibit will list information about this bug.
"Orchid mantises look like orchids and use them as camouflage for protection from predators. While this camouflage keeps them safe, is also helps them to surprise any prey that comes to the flowers. They are usually carnivorous, but they still eat the occasional banana to balance their vitamin intake."
Encyclopedia Information
In Wild World and City Folk, players can access information about fish and bugs in the menu. Regarding the orchid mantis:
Wild World
Bug
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Encyclopedia Information
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"These pretty critters look like orchids, so it's difficult for predators to spot them." | ||
Size | 35 mm | |
Time | Unknown | |
Season | Summer | |
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City Folk
Encyclopedia Information
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New Leaf
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Gallery
Wild World
City Folk
New Leaf
Further Information
Found in the rainforests of South-East Asian islands such as Malaysia and Indonesia, the orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) is found primarily on orchids, a flower on which this species of mantis has evolved to replicate. Being primarily carnivorous, they eat most things that happen to pass by, their victims ignorant that they are even present, due to their camouflage. Prey includes lizards, bees and butterflies. Orchid mantids have also been observed nibbling on banana, likely to add vitamins to their diet.
As with other species of mantis, orchid mantids go into a frenzy when touched or lifted.