What praying mantis eggs does

The Praying Mantis Shop is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer operating under the legal entity The Silkworm Shop, selling praying mantises and related husbandry supplies through the prayingmantisshop.com domain. The company is based at a San Diego, California mailing address and operates with 1–10 employees and no physical retail footprint. Distribution is mail-order only, fulfilled via USPS Priority Mail within the continental United States; live-animal shipments are paused during the warmest months, and Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and all international destinations are explicitly excluded from the service area.

The product catalog spans live juvenile mantises, oothecae (egg cases), tiered starter kits priced between $39.50 and $69.50 (Basic, Discovery, Ultimate, and a Teacher Classroom edition), feeder insects including fruit flies and silkworms, enclosures, decor, apparel, plush mantises, novelty items such as mantis-themed golf balls, and gift cards ranging from $25 to $100. Most catalog items fall between $5.50 and $68.00, positioning the assortment at low-to-mid single-transaction price points typical of impulse and educational purchases. Care resources — including an FAQ, free eBooks, and a hatch diary — accompany the catalog.

Revenue is generated transactionally via the website checkout; no subscription, B2B contract, or wholesale channel is disclosed. The customer base is segmented across educators and classrooms, organic gardeners seeking natural pest control, exotic pet hobbyists, and gift purchasers, suggesting a distributed long-tail mix with no single anchor account. The company discloses no funding rounds, partnerships, M&A activity, executive team, or revenue figures.

Name

praying mantis eggs

Legal name

The Silkworm Shop

Website

https://prayingmantisshop.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Praying Mantis Shop is a San Diego, California-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer selling live praying mantises, egg cases, husbandry kits, feeder insects, and themed gifts to educators, organic gardeners, exotic pet hobbyists, and gift buyers across the continental United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Pet Retail

SIC

Dolls & Stuffed Toys (3942), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Pest Control & Animal Deterrents Retail (Garden/Outdoor Use) (CRAIAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dolls, Plush & Action Figures Retail (CRALAFAD)

Keywords

• Live insect retail
• Praying mantis supplies
• Entomology education kits
• Biological pest control
• Exotic pet products

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales of praying mantis products including living insects, egg cases, food, enclosures, accessories, educational materials, and branded merchandise. Revenue is generated through one-time product purchases and gift card sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Praying Mantis Shop is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer that sells live praying mantises (juvenile Asian/Chinese and Carolina species), oothecae (egg cases) for Asian, Narrow-Winged, and European mantises, complete starter and classroom kits, feeder insects such as fruit flies and silkworms, mantis enclosures and habitat accessories, and educational resources and mantis-themed merchandise. Orders are placed online and shipped via USPS Priority Mail throughout the United States (excluding Hawaii and Puerto Rico for live items).

Product overview

The Praying Mantis Shop is an e-commerce platform selling live praying mantids, egg cases (oothecae), and comprehensive supplies for mantis care. The product portfolio includes: live specimens (juvenile Asian/Chinese and Carolina mantises; egg cases for Asian, Narrow-Winged, and European species); complete starter and educational kits (Basic, Discovery, Ultimate, Classroom); live feeder insects (fruit flies in multiple sizes, silkworms, rice flour beetles) with breeding kits; various enclosures (mesh cubes, pop-up cages, kritter keepers, containers); habitat accessories (heaters, thermometers, substrate, branches, misters, tongs); educational items (life cycle figurines, resin-embedded specimens, care guides, eBooks); and mantis-themed merchandise including apparel, puzzles, wall art, tattoos, costumes, and gift cards. The shop operates as a standard e-commerce retail website without software integrations or API access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Praying Mantis Living Juvenile (Asian/Chinese) Live juvenile Asian/Chinese praying mantis (Tenodera sinensis), typically L2-L4 stage, that grows to 3-5 inches as an adult. Sold as two specimens per order under a live-arrival guarantee for hobbyist keepers and classrooms.
• Praying Mantis Living Juvenile (Carolina) Live Carolina praying mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) reaching 2-3 inches as an adult; native to the United States, ranging in color from dusty gray to brown and green, marketed to U.S. hobbyists.
• Praying Mantis Egg Case (Ootheca) - Asian/Chinese Asian mantis ootheca containing 100-300 specimens that hatch after 3-8 weeks in warm weather, used for garden pest control or raised as pets.
• Praying Mantis Egg Case (Ootheca) - Narrow-Winged Ootheca of the Narrow-Winged mantis (Tenodera angustipennis) hatching 100-300 specimens; native species naturalized in the U.S. since the early 1900s.
• Praying Mantis Basic (Starter) Kit Bundled starter kit containing an egg case or living juvenile, a cube mesh enclosure, one culture of flightless fruit flies, a mini mister, and complete instructions; priced at $39.50 for first-time mantis owners.
• Praying Mantis Discovery Kit Discovery-oriented kit including a juvenile or egg case, cube mesh enclosure, Ultimate Care Guide book, life cycle figurines, artificial plant, and magnifying glass; priced at $52.50.
• Praying Mantis Ultimate Kit Top-tier habitat kit containing egg case or juvenile, cube mesh enclosure, flightless fruit flies, care guide, life cycle figures, habitat heater, digital thermometer, substrate, driftwood branches, and a 3D paper puzzle; priced at $69.50.
• Teacher's Classroom Learning Kit Classroom educational kit for grade school students including a 24-page eBook, 10 small animal habitats with accessories, a 3D mantis puzzle, and a mister, with an optional mantis egg case; priced from $47.50.
• Fruit Flies - 1/16" Wingless (D. Melanogaster) Wingless Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies, approximately 1/16 inch, sold as live feeder food for newborn nymphs and very small mantises; available with or without feeding culture.
• Fruit Flies - 1/8" Flightless (D. Hydei) Flightless Drosophila hydei fruit flies, approximately 1/8 inch, sold as live feeder food for young mantises including juveniles offered on the site.
• Silkworms - Small Live small silkworms approximately 1/2 inch or less, soft-bodied nutritious caterpillars for juvenile mantises, sold in packs of 10 or 25 with silkworm food for $11.50.
• Silkworms - Medium Medium silkworms approximately 3/4-1 inch, sold as soft-bodied nutritious food for adult mantises, including mulberry food and instructions.
• Rice Flour Beetle Larvae Live rice flour beetle larvae approximately 1/4 inch, recommended as backup food for egg case hatching; cultures last for months with no maintenance.
• Flightless Fruit Fly Breeding Kit Economical breeding kit for producing thousands of flightless fruit flies, with the small kit including 500-700 flies, premade culture, three containers, lids, feeding media, and mesh panels; large kit includes double quantities.
• Cube Mesh Enclosure 12x12x12 inch mesh cage suitable for all mantis ages from nymph to adult; collapsible, lightweight, durable, washable, with fine mesh that prevents escape of mantids and prey.
• Pop Up Enclosure 16x10 inch pop-up cage designed as a larger enclosure for growing and adult mantises; collapsible, free-standing, with a clear zipper opening (not suitable for fruit flies).
• Adult Kritter Keeper Rectangular kritter keeper 11.88x7.75x8.13 inches with self-locking lid and clear acrylic viewing, sold for $26.00 for adult or larger juvenile mantises.
• 32oz Containers and Lids (5 Pack) 32oz containers with poly-fabric-covered breathable lids sold in a 5-pack for young and growing mantises, recommended at one newborn per cup.
• Small Animal Habitat Terrarium habitat for small animals and insects including mantis nymphs, sold from $5.50, including a 32oz container, fabric-covered lid, coco fiber substrate, artificial plant, and branch.
• Mantis Life Cycle Stages (Figurines) Educational plastic figurines depicting four praying mantis life cycle stages (egg case, hatching egg case, juvenile mantids, and adult mantis) for ages 4 and up.
• Real Mantis Embedded in Resin (Educational) Real praying mantis specimen preserved in food-grade polyresin, sold as an educational and decorative piece measuring 4 1/4" x 1 3/4" x 1 1/5".
• Praying Mantis T-Shirts (Women's) Bella+Canvas women's t-shirts with original mantis designs in multiple styles including tank tops, long sleeves, sweatshirts, and hoodies, priced up to $32.00.
• Praying Mantis T-Shirts (Men's) Men's t-shirts with original in-house mantis designs in 100% cotton, available in multiple styles and priced up to $35.00.
• Praying Mantis T-Shirts (Kids') Children's t-shirts featuring original mantis designs, sold up to $28.00 to let kids showcase their interest in insects.
• Praying Mantis Temporary Tattoos Sheet of 28 praying mantis temporary tattoos priced at $19.00, applied on skin or used as waterslide decals, waterproof, lasting several days, and available in black or green.
• Praying Mantis Costume for Kids Jumpsuit with mantis head hood for children in sizes S/M/L, made of 100% polyester and priced at $27.50, intended for Halloween, role play, cosplay, and birthdays.
• Gift Cards Gift cards in denominations of $25, $50, $75, and $100, used for purchasing mantis products on the site as gifts for animal-loving friends, biology presentations, or bug enthusiasts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100-300 nymphs per egg case hatched
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Backwater Reptiles: Online exotic-animal retailer shipping live reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates nationwide. Comparable online-only live-animal sales model, husbandry supply bundling, and exotic-pet enthusiast customer base.
• Timberline Live Pet Foods: Online retailer specializing in live feeder insects (crickets, roaches, worms) for reptile and exotic pet owners. Directly comparable product category (live food), direct-to-consumer shipping model, and shared hobbyist/pets-and-education end customer.
• Bassett's Cricket Ranch: Family-run US mail-order supplier of live crickets and feeder insects since 1988. Closely comparable family-operated, mail-order live-insect business serving hobbyists and small reptile/amphibian/arachnid keepers.
• Josh's Frogs: Online specialty retailer of live frogs, reptiles, feeder insects, and complete husbandry kits. Closely comparable direct-to-consumer exotic-pet model, kit-based merchandising, and educational content ecosystem serving hobbyists and classrooms.
• Rainbow Mealworms: Online supplier of live mealworms, superworms, and other feeder insects. Direct peer on the live-feeder-insect category and direct-to-consumer shipping model.
• Fluker Farms: Long-standing online and mail-order retailer of live feeder insects (crickets, mealworms), reptiles, amphibians, and supplies. Closest direct peer because it sells the same feeder-insect categories (crickets, mealworms analog to silkworms/fruit flies) and pet habitats, with overlapping pet-owner and hobbyist customer segments.
• Ghann's Cricket Farm: One of the oldest US suppliers of live crickets and feeder insects, selling direct to consumers and businesses via mail order. Comparable live-insect supply chain, mail-order distribution, and exotic-pet customer overlap with the Praying Mantis Shop.
• LLLReptile: Online and brick-and-mortar exotic pet retailer offering reptiles, amphibians, and feeder insects with supplies. Comparable direct-to-consumer exotic-pet ecommerce model and supplies/feeder-insect cross-sell structure.
• Top Hat Cricket Farm: Online mail-order supplier of live feeder crickets and related supplies for exotic pet keepers. Comparable mail-order live-insect distribution model and hobbyist customer overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Arbico Organics: Broad-line biological pest control retailer selling beneficial insects, nematodes, and organic growing supplies. Comparable organic-gardening and biological-control customer segment, but a much broader agricultural and farming footprint that dwarfs the niche insect-pet focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/silkwormshop
• Facebookfacebook.com/220469888136232

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about praying mantis eggs