How to Spot a Praying Mantis

The praying mantis gets its name from the way it holds its front legs in a stance. Mantids are good for the garden because they sometimes eat garden pests such as flies and beetles. Here's how you can spot a praying mantis in your garden.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Insect field guide
• Hand lens
• Flowering plant

1. Search for an insect that looks similar to a branch. The average praying mantis measures three to four inches long. The most prominent features of a praying mantis are its bulging eyes and front legs. When a praying mantis hunts, it tucks the claws of its front legs under and looks as if it's praying.
2. Buy an insect field guide with color photographs. Various species of praying mantis exist in the world, so it's helpful to have a picture to identify this garden pest eater.
3. Watch the praying mantis sway back and forth on the branch. When disturbed, the praying mantis tries to blend in with its surroundings, usually a branch or stem of a plant. The mantis often sways with the wind to simulate a blowing leaf.
4. Look for plants that have many tiny flowers. These flowers attract tiny flies, bees and other insects that the praying mantis eats. Occasionally, the larger praying mantids eat other praying mantids and good-sized bugs. The large mantid species even eat small snakes and hummingbirds.
5. Observe the praying mantis with a hand lens or other magnifying glass. Get a closer look to find the folded front legs and bulging eyes.

Tips & Warnings

• Buy egg cases to raise mantids. The praying mantis eats common garden pests such as aphids and the Mexican Bean beetle. Watch in spring as small praying mantids burst forth from the egg case.