Praying mantises are carnivores and require live food to eat. They eat a lot of protein in their diets and are skilled hunters. They can eat a variety of insects, such as fruit flies, crickets, ladybugs, butterflies, and small cockroaches. The size of the prey they eat is typically based on their size, with larger mantids being capable of hunting and consuming bigger prey. It is important to avoid feeding them prey that could be harmful, such as those that contain parasites. It is also important to avoid overfeeding them, as this can lead to obesity and other health problems. Adult females may need a bit more food than adult males. It is recommended to give praying mantises 2 live insects every other day. They will not eat dead prey, so it has to be moving to attract their attention. It is also important to mist the inside of the terrarium every two or three days so the praying mantis has water to drink.