Praying mantid

Biology

Amongst the largest (1-4 inches) and most recognizable of garden predators, praying mantids are not fussy about what they catch and eat. They are ‘sit and wait’ predators that pounce on any insect that comes too close, including beneficials like bees and butterflies. The most common species in the Pacific Northwest is the European mantid (Mantis religiosa). Praying mantids are most often seen from mid summer to mid autumn and are killed off by the first frosts after laying a number of white, hardened foam egg cases which overwinter attached to branches, trunks etc. Mantids kill and consume good numbers of pests like caterpillars and flies, but their contribution to garden pest control is usually less than their large as life image!

Additional Image