We’ve all seen a praying mantis, or mantid, at one time or another. It’s usually in late summer or early fall when the mature adults are most noticeably on the hunt. Whether perched on the side of your house or scrambling across a plant, these intrepid 3- to 5-inch long insects never fail to elicit a pause when we come across one.
Mantids are best known for folding their large forelegs (in pounce-ready mode) to resemble hands in prayer, and for eating lots of pests. However, they are voracious generalists and supremely good at catching whatever’s within striking distance. In addition to insects, the large Chinese mantis has been known to catch mice, small lizards and even hummingbirds. Yikes!
The good news is, these guys are one of the very few predators of spotted lanternflies and stinkbugs. Hooray for that! The bad news is they also love bumblebees, butterflies, katydids, moths, you name it. The female sometimes eats the male after mating, and young nymphs consume their siblings to reduce competition. Not pleasant to contemplate how Nature does her thing sometimes.
Coming Across One
When startled, an adult mantid may rise up on its hind legs and reach those fearsome forelegs outward in a threatening manner. They will often swivel their heads, which can move up to 180 degrees in either direction, to stare straight at you, eye to eye. That gaze coupled with their size and challenging stance can be a bit disconcerting, especially if you’ve never seen one up close before. They are true predators, after all.
So, will it bite you?
Luckily, mantids are neither aggressive nor venomous. They rarely bite humans unless they mistake your finger for prey, or you try to handle one in a way that makes it feel threatened or startled. (Another great reason to always wear gloves when gardening.) Even if one should accidentally nip your finger, even draw blood, it’s not cause for alarm. Simply wash and treat as you would any insect bite. The best way to avoid getting bitten is to avoid handling them in the first place. (Do point them out to your kids, though — they are endlessly fascinating to youngsters!)
Which mantid is it?
Pennsylvania is home to four species of mantids, although only two are commonly observed; both are introduced species. These are the Chinese and European mantids. Less often seen are the narrow-winged mantid, and the only North American native, the Carolina mantid. The Carolina is rarely seen and endangered in Pennsylvania. As its name implies it’s typically found south of us. I haven’t seen one since I was a child. They are very well color-camouflaged to resemble mottled tree bark, and the smallest of the species.
I started coming across Chinese and European mantids in my garden three years ago in late summer. The Chinese is the largest at 5 inches, and can be either green or brown. The European is all green, a little shorter and stouter than the Chinese.
I am finding the Chinese mantid’s peculiar-looking egg cases, called ootheca, stuck inside my spirea bushes. Last winter, I found eight! They look like ginger-colored Styrofoam blobs about the size and shape of a marshmallow, stuck firmly onto twigs. The eggs hatch in spring.
Lean and Mean
Mantids are built for stealth hunting. Their slender bodies and natural coloring make them experts at camouflage. Whether green or brown, they often blend in with their surroundings as they sit rock still to escape detection. A lightning-fast strike of those forelegs, equipped with rows of backward-facing sharp spines, make escape nearly impossible for the hapless victim. Whether it’s a lanternfly or a butterfly, it’s dinner.
At first, watching a mantid consume a lanternfly, I felt happy. Then I witnessed one eating a bee. Soon I began finding disembodied butterfly wings all over. My feelings became mixed.
Which raises the question: What should one do when one finds a mantid in the garden?
Good question.
I consulted several online sources about this, and most suggest leaving the adults alone but perhaps destroying any egg cases. Certainly if you have lots of lanternflies in your area, mantids can be a welcome form of natural pest control.
But if you’re worried about their toll on bees and butterflies, maybe move an adult (carefully) to a wild place such as a weedy roadside. They’re clumsy fliers and easy enough to catch in a plastic lidded container or jar for transport.
Now I look for and destroy mantid egg cases (ootheca) once the shrubs are bare of leaves. If I find some this winter, I’ll post a photo. One or two mantids is plenty for my small garden. From what I’ve read, the two foreign species appear to be rapidly displacing the Carolina mantid and are most certainly thriving here.
So, while these fascinating insects help keep a lid on pests, they also decimate pollinators. And right now, pollinators need all the help they can get!
What to do? You’ll have to decide for yourself whether you want to keep praying mantids around, and how many —or not.
