are praying mantis good to have around

 

 

You Spotted a Predator in Your Garden—Friend or Foe?

It's a summer morning, and you're checking on your tomatoes. A flash of movement catches your eye—a large, green insect with folded forelegs, its triangular head tracking your every move. The praying mantis is undeniably fascinating, but as a gardener, you have to ask: is this visitor helping or hurting your carefully cultivated ecosystem? The question that every gardener eventually faces is simple yet urgent: are praying mantis good to have around?

The answer isn't a simple yes or no. It's a nuanced story of benefits and drawbacks, of indiscriminate hunting and ecological balance. Mantises are efficient predators, but they don't distinguish between the pests you want gone and the pollinators your garden needs. Understanding this duality is the key to deciding whether to welcome these remarkable insects or gently encourage them to move along. Let's dive into the data and expert opinions to uncover the truth about mantises in your garden.

The Short Answer: Yes, But With Important Caveats

If you're looking for a quick answer to are praying mantis good to have around, here it is: yes, praying mantises are generally considered beneficial to have in gardens because they are voracious predators that consume a wide variety of insect pests . However, they are not selective—they will also eat beneficial insects like bees, butterflies, and even other mantises .

According to Oregon State University Extension horticulturist Weston Miller, "There's a lot of interest in buying beneficial insects to release in the garden for pest control. People purchase things like ladybugs or praying mantises. But these aren't always the best thing for your garden" . The University of Maryland Extension goes further, stating that mantises' tendency to eat beneficial insects and cannibalize each other "gives them limited value as bio-control agents" .

So the verdict: mantises are good to have in moderation, but they shouldn't be your primary pest control strategy .

The Case for Mantises: Why Gardeners Love Them

Let's start with the positives. Understanding are praying mantis good to have around means recognizing what they contribute to your garden ecosystem.

They're Voracious Pest Controllers

Praying mantises are carnivores that feed exclusively on live prey . According to National Geographic, their diet includes aphids, caterpillars, leafhoppers, grasshoppers, and flies . These are the very insects that damage your vegetables and ornamentals. A single mantis can consume multiple pests daily, and over its lifetime, it will eat hundreds of insects .

The UC Agriculture and Natural Resources program confirms that mantids are "generalist predators," meaning they feed on any insect they can catch . This makes them effective at reducing overall insect populations, including many common garden pests.

They're Fascinating to Observe

Beyond pest control, mantises add a layer of interest and wonder to any garden. Their alien appearance, swiveling heads, and lightning-fast strikes make them a favorite subject for nature lovers and photographers. For children especially, watching a mantis hunt can spark a lifelong interest in entomology and the natural world .

They're a Sign of a Healthy Ecosystem

Mantises are top predators in the insect world. Their presence indicates that your garden has enough biodiversity to support a complex food web. A garden with mantises is a garden with insects, which means it's also a garden with birds and other wildlife .

They Require No Maintenance

Unlike some beneficial insects you might purchase and release, mantises are self-sufficient. Once they're in your garden, they hunt, grow, and reproduce without any intervention from you. No feeding, no housing, no special care—just let them do their thing .

The Case Against Mantises: Why Experts Are Wary

Now for the other side of are praying mantis good to have around. Multiple university extension services caution against relying too heavily on mantises for pest control.

They're Indiscriminate Killers

This is the biggest drawback. Mantises don't know the difference between a pest and a pollinator. According to Iowa State University Extension, mantids feed on "moths, crickets, grasshoppers and flies" but also on "beneficial insects such as bees and spiders" .

Oregon State University horticulturist Gail Langelotto puts it bluntly: "Mantids are sit-and-wait predators that eat whatever insect walks by, good or bad. If you're a gardener trying to encourage bees and other pollinators, you might not want to attract mantises" .

They're Cannibalistic

If you release mantis egg cases expecting an army of pest controllers, you'll be disappointed. As nymphs hatch, they immediately begin eating each other . Langelotto notes that "they are also very cannibalistic, so they'll eat each other and deplete their own population to the point where they're not likely to have any meaningful negative impact on pollinator populations" .

This cannibalism means that from an egg case containing 100-200 eggs, only a handful will survive to adulthood . The result is that mantises are rarely abundant enough to provide significant pest control .

They're Not Host-Specific

Utah State University Extension explains that "mantids are not the most effective biological control agents" because they are not host-specific . Unlike parasitic wasps that target only aphids or nematodes that target only soil-dwelling pests, mantises eat whatever they can catch. This lack of specificity means they may reduce beneficial insect populations as much as pest populations .

They Have Limited Impact on Pest Populations

Despite their fearsome reputation, multiple studies suggest that mantises don't significantly reduce pest numbers. Iowa State University states that their impact "is probably negligible" . Ohio State University Extension agrees, noting that "releasing these into your garden may not necessarily improve pest suppression" .

This is because mantises are not numerous enough, and their indiscriminate feeding means they're as likely to eat each other or beneficial insects as they are to eat pests.

What University Extensions Actually Say

Let's look at the specific recommendations from respected agricultural institutions regarding are praying mantis good to have around.

Institution	Assessment
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources	"Mantids are generalist predators—they feed on any insect they can catch. They are not host-specific and will feed on beneficial insects and pests alike."
Iowa State University Extension	"Their impact in the garden is probably negligible. They eat many different insects, including beneficial ones."
Ohio State University Extension	"Releasing these into your garden may not necessarily improve pest suppression."
Utah State University Extension	"Mantids are not the most effective biological control agents because they are not host-specific."
University of Maryland Extension	"Their tendency to eat beneficial insects and cannibalize each other gives them limited value as bio-control agents."

The consensus is clear: mantises are fascinating and beneficial in small numbers, but they are not a reliable pest control solution .

The Pollinator Problem: A Gardener's Dilemma

For gardeners specifically asking are praying mantis good to have around, the pollinator issue is central. If you've planted flowers specifically to attract bees and butterflies, a mantis lying in ambush on those same flowers can undo your efforts .

Research has documented mantises preying on:

• Honeybees and native bees
• Butterflies and moths
• Hoverflies (important pollinators and aphid predators)
• Other beneficial insects

Gail Langelotto of OSU notes that if you're trying to encourage pollinators, "you might not want to attract mantises" . The decision comes down to your garden priorities: maximum pest control or maximum pollinator protection?

What About Purchasing and Releasing Mantises?

Garden supply companies sell mantis egg cases, promising an army of pest-destroying nymphs. But is this a good idea? The experts say no .

According to the University of Maryland Extension, "commercially available mantis egg cases are usually the non-native Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis)" . Releasing non-native species can disrupt local ecosystems and compete with native mantis species .

Furthermore, the cannibalism factor means that from an egg case containing up to 400 eggs, you'll be lucky to get a handful of surviving adults . The cost-to-benefit ratio is poor compared to other beneficial insects like ladybugs or lacewings.

If you do decide to release mantises, OSU Extension recommends:

• Only release species native to your area (if available)
• Release egg cases in spring after the last frost
• Place them on sturdy branches or fences, not on the ground
• Accept that you're doing this for enjoyment, not for meaningful pest control

The Native vs. Non-Native Question

Part of evaluating are praying mantis good to have around depends on whether the mantis is native to your region. In many parts of North America, the most common mantises—European and Chinese—are introduced species .

While they've been here for over a century and are considered "naturalized," they can still compete with native mantis species where they coexist . In Oregon, for example, the Willamette Valley has no native mantids, so introduced species fill an empty niche . But in areas with native mantises, introduced species may outcompete them .

If you're in an area with native mantises, encouraging them is preferable to releasing non-native species.

How to Attract Mantises (If You Decide You Want Them)

If you've weighed the pros and cons and decided that yes, are praying mantis good to have around in your particular garden, here's how to attract them naturally:

• Plant diverse vegetation: Mantises need places to hunt and hide. Shrubs, tall grasses, and flowering plants provide excellent habitat .
• Avoid pesticides: Broad-spectrum insecticides kill mantises directly and eliminate their food source .
• Leave some areas unmowed: Mantises overwinter as eggs in oothecae attached to plant stems. Fall cleanup can destroy these egg cases .
• Provide perching spots: Mantises are ambush predators that need sturdy stems or branches to wait for prey .
• Embrace biodiversity: A garden with many insects attracts mantises, because it provides food .

You can also purchase mantis egg cases if you want to guarantee their presence. Think of these as nature's free samples of biological pest control—a starter kit for a more diverse garden ecosystem. By introducing these cases, you're ensuring a generation of tiny predators will hatch in the spring, acting like free samples of natural defense for your plants. Just remember that you're doing this for the joy of observing them, not for significant pest reduction .

When Mantises Might Be a Problem

There are situations where mantises become more of a nuisance than a benefit .

• Around bee hives: If you keep honeybees, mantises near the hive entrance can pick off foragers.
• On butterfly host plants: Mantises on milkweed or other butterfly-attracting plants will eat caterpillars and adults.
• In vegetable gardens during pollination: If your squash or tomatoes need pollinators, mantises can reduce their numbers.
• In very high numbers: Though rare, a localized population boom could impact beneficial insects.

In these cases, gently relocating mantises to less critical areas of your garden may be appropriate.

Conclusion: Appreciate, Don't Expect

So, are praying mantis good to have around? The answer is a qualified yes—with important caveats. Mantises are fascinating, low-maintenance garden residents that will eat some pests and add biodiversity to your yard . However, they are not selective predators, so they'll also eat beneficial insects like bees and butterflies . Their impact on pest populations is generally negligible, and they are not a reliable form of biological control .

The best approach is to appreciate mantises for what they are: remarkable creatures that make your garden more interesting. Enjoy watching them hunt, marvel at their camouflage, and share them with curious children. But don't rely on them to solve pest problems, and don't spend money on egg cases expecting significant pest reduction. For serious pest control, look to host-specific predators like ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps—and remember that a diverse, chemical-free garden will attract its own balanced population of beneficial insects, mantises included.