it is arguable whether or not G. smithii and N. wennerae have teh same general level of activity, however their care requirements are pretty much identical. I too prefer the looks of G. smithii (and thankfully i have one that even has the gorgeous red intersegmental lines!), however, N. wennerae THE most readily available mantis (via TBS).
finding a specific species can be a daunting task since the mantis craze is just a budding thing right now and lfs owners and collectors generally couldnt give half a rats a$$ about it. that means that getting one by species almost never happens. that's why N. wen is suggested more often. however, if you do happen to find a G. smithii, snatch that bad boy up because they are less common.
