[2][3][4][5][6] O. novaezealandiae nymphs are pale, translucent green with a dark stripe running from head to end of abdomen.

[4][6] The New Zealand mantis has a triangular head with slightly oversized compound eyes that give it excellent binocular vision (although they do have a blind spot).

[9] O. novaezealandiae prefer open, shrubby terrain which is similar to leafy vegetation and may be used as camouflage to ambush prey.

As an endemic species of New Zealand that eats pests and has a very large appetite, O. novaezealandiae is a beneficial insect to those involved in agriculture and they are used in many gardens.

[4][10] The New Zealand mantis is vulnerable to the use of pesticides, both directly and through the effects of a diminished food supply, and their ootheca are sometimes attacked by parasitic wasps.