Mantis Petra

Lurks amongst foliage and attacks by flinging wind-scythes from a distance. They will harass you from afar, so get close and strike quickly. Their bodies are brittle and will easily fall to your nail.

Mantis Petras are enemies in Hollow Knight. They are flying infected mantises of the Mantis Tribe who followed the Traitor Lord and were exiled from their village.^[1]

Behaviour and Tactics

They hover just outside of the Knight's melee reach. They fling scythes that will swoop down in a parabolic arc, slow at the apex, then come back up.

If possible, try to get slightly above them to lure them close and hit them with a Nail Art or Spell before they hover away again. Alternatively, using Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek or Grubberfly's Elegy will close the distance.

They often show up in groups with another Petra or a Mantis Traitor. Get rid of them first, as their aerial attacks make fighting ground-based enemies aggravating.

Dreamshield will destroy their scythes when making contact, making this charm useful against them.

Dream Nail Dialogue
...Is it child?... ...Must kill...Prove strength to the tribe... ...It must learn fear...

 Location

The Mantis Petra are very commonly found in Queen's Gardens, usually as a challenge in the platforming sections. Also found within the Colosseum of Fools, in the 9th, 14th and 17th wave of the Trial of the Fool.

Locations in the Queen's Gardens

Gallery

Screenshot HK Mantis Petra 03.png

Trivia

• Only the Mantis Petra marked by a red circle in the location image will respawn when reentering the room, all others will only respawn when the Knight rests at a bench.
• Mantis Petras have the same Dream Nail dialogue as hostile Mantis Youths. It is not known if this is intentional or an oversight.

References

1. ↑ Wanderer's Journal, p. 144.

Compendium
Main Game	Crawlid • Vengefly • Vengefly King • Gruzzer • Gruz Mother • Tiktik • Aspid Hunter • Aspid Mother • Aspid Hatchling • Goam • Wandering Husk • Husk Hornhead • Leaping Husk • Husk Bully • Husk Warrior • Husk Guard • Entombed Husk • False Knight • Maggot • Menderbug • Lifeseed • Baldur • Elder Baldur Mosscreep • Mossfly • Mosskin • Volatile Mosskin • Fool Eater • Squit • Obble • Gulka • Maskfly • Moss Charger • Massive Moss Charger • Moss Knight • Mossy Vagabond • Durandoo • Duranda • Aluba Charged Lumafly • Uoma • Ooma • Uumuu Ambloom • Fungling • Fungoon • Sporg • Fungified Husk • Shrumeling • Shrumal Warrior • Shrumal Ogre • Mantis Youth • Mantis Warrior • Mantis Lords Husk Sentry • Heavy Sentry • Winged Sentry • Lance Sentry • Mistake • Folly • Soul Twister • Soul Warrior • Soul Master • Husk Dandy • Cowardly Husk • Gluttonous Husk • Gorgeous Husk • Great Husk Sentry • Watcher Knight • The Collector Belfly • Pilflip • Hwurmp • Bluggsac • Dung Defender • Flukefey • Flukemon • Flukemarm Shardmite • Glimback • Crystal Hunter • Crystal Crawler • Husk Miner • Crystallised Husk • Crystal Guardian Furious Vengefly • Volatile Gruzzer • Violent Husk • Slobbering Husk Dirtcarver • Carver Hatcher • Garpede • Corpse Creeper • Deepling • Deephunter • Little Weaver • Stalking Devout • Nosk Shadow Creeper • Lesser Mawlek • Mawlurk • Brooding Mawlek • Lightseed • Infected Balloon • Broken Vessel Boofly • Primal Aspid • Hopper • Great Hopper • Grub Mimic • Hiveling • Hive Soldier • Hive Guardian • Husk Hive Spiny Husk • Loodle • Mantis Petra • Mantis Traitor • Traitor Lord Sharp Baldur • Armoured Squit • Battle Obble • Oblobbles • Shielded Fool • Sturdy Fool • Winged Fool • Heavy Fool • Death Loodle • Volt Twister • Zote the Mighty • God Tamer Xero • Gorb • Elder Hu • Marmu • No Eyes • Galien • Markoth Wingmould • Royal Retainer • Kingsmould • Sibling • Void Tendrils Hornet • The Hollow Knight • The Radiance • Shade • Hunter's Mark	a
		a
Hidden Dreams		a
	Grey Prince Zote • Winged Zoteling • Hopping Zoteling • Volatile Zoteling • White Defender	a
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The Grimm Troupe		a
	Grimmkin Novice • Grimmkin Master • Grimmkin Nightmare • Grimm • Nightmare King Grimm • Seal of Binding	a
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Lifeblood		a
	Hive Knight	a
		a
Godmaster		a
	Flukemunga • Pale Lurker • Brothers Oro & Mato • Paintmaster Sheo • Great Nailsage Sly • Pure Vessel • Void Idol • Weathered Mask	a