do praying mantis survive winter

 

 

The Garden Falls Silent—What Happened to Your Summer Hunters?

All summer long, they were there. Perched on your rose bushes, clinging to the sunflower stalks, their triangular heads swiveling to watch you as you gardened. The praying mantises were a constant, fascinating presence. But then the temperatures dropped. The leaves fell. The first frost painted your garden silver. Suddenly, your garden's charismatic predators are nowhere to be found. It's a question that puzzles gardeners every year as winter settles in: do praying mantis survive winter?

Do they burrow deep into the soil like some insects? Do they find a cozy spot under the leaves to sleep through the cold? The answer reveals one of nature's most remarkable survival strategies—a strategy that involves the entire adult generation making the ultimate sacrifice so that the next can live on. Understanding this cycle is not only fascinating but also crucial for gardeners who want to support these predators in their yards year after year. Let's uncover the winter secret of the praying mantis.

The Short Answer: No, Adults Do Not Survive Winter

If you're looking for a quick answer to do praying mantis survive winter, here it is: adult praying mantises do not survive the winter . According to Iowa State University Extension, "Adults die of old age or freezing, whichever comes first" .

Praying mantises are ectothermic, meaning they cannot generate enough internal heat to stay active in the cold . Unlike mammals, they rely entirely on external sources of heat to regulate their body temperature . When temperatures drop consistently below 50°F (10°C), mantises become sluggish, their metabolism slows, and prolonged exposure is often fatal .

The adults you see in late summer and fall are the final chapter of the year's story. They have one primary mission before winter arrives: reproduce and ensure the next generation carries on .

The Temperature Threshold: How Cold Is Too Cold?

Understanding do praying mantis survive winter requires understanding their temperature limits. According to the Environmental Literacy Council, temperatures consistently below 50°F (10°C) are generally too cold for praying mantises .

Here's what happens as temperatures drop :

Temperature Range	Effect on Mantis
72-78°F (22-26°C)	Optimal range for activity, hunting, and digestion
Below 65°F (18°C)	Reduced activity, slowed metabolism
Below 50°F (10°C)	Prolonged exposure is often fatal; mantises cannot survive freezing
First hard frost	Kills any adults still active

While some species can tolerate brief dips into slightly cooler temperatures, prolonged exposure weakens them, suppresses their immune system, and ultimately leads to their demise .

The Egg Case: Nature's Winter Survival Pod

So, if the adults die, how does the species continue? The answer lies in a remarkable structure called an ootheca . When you ask do praying mantis survive winter, the true answer is: they don't survive—but their eggs do, tucked away in a perfectly designed winter shelter.

In the fall, mated females deposit 12 to 400 eggs in a frothy, protective egg case that hardens on branches, rocks, or other structures . This case, the ootheca, is a masterpiece of natural engineering. The foam-like structure comes in a range of sizes, shapes, and colors and protects the eggs from the elements during winter .

Utah State University Extension explains that "Oothecae harden on branches, rocks, or other structures, and are the overwintering stage" . The eggs remain in this protective case throughout the cold months, entering a state of diapause—a period of suspended development that allows them to survive freezing temperatures .

Here's where you can find these egg cases during the winter months :

• On twigs and branches: Females often attach them to sturdy plant stems and shrubs.
• On structures: They can also be found on walls, fences, the sides of houses, and under eaves.
• Hidden in plain sight: The cases are brown or tan and blend remarkably well with bark and dead vegetation.

When Spring Arrives: The Great Hatch

Inside those tiny egg cases, life is waiting. As temperatures warm in spring, the eggs resume development. According to multiple extension services, nymphs will emerge from the ootheca in the spring and immediately begin to look for food .

In most regions, hatching occurs in late May to early June . The UC Agriculture and Natural Resources notes that eggs will hatch about three weeks after temperatures consistently reach 70 degrees Fahrenheit .

When they hatch, tiny nymphs emerge in a swarm. They are miniature versions of the adults, minus the wings, and they are born hungry . In fact, they are voracious predators at birth and will prey on their siblings .

These surviving nymphs will spend the summer growing, molting, and hunting, eventually maturing into the adults we see in late summer. There is only one generation per year .

The Rare Exception: Warmer Climates

While the egg-case strategy holds true for most praying mantises in temperate regions, there is a rare exception documented in scientific literature. A 1984 study from New Zealand documented that some adult and nymph mantises of the species Orthodera ministralis successfully survived a mild winter outdoors in Auckland .

Researchers found that overwintering nymphs were not disadvantaged, and one male, on reaching maturity, was observed mating with an overwintering female of the previous generation . Some adult females probably survived for at least 7 months .

However, this occurred in a subtropical climate and is considered unusual . For the vast majority of North American gardeners, you should assume the adults will not make it through the winter .

How Geography Affects Survival

The answer to do praying mantis survive winter can vary by region. According to the UW Insect Diagnostic Lab, mantids are much more common in southern states. The scarcity of these insects in the upper Midwest has a lot to do with their life cycle .

For species in northern regions, females lay egg pouches in exposed locations—twigs, gardening stakes, and similar spots. If there's a harsh winter, these exposed egg masses face the brunt of the cold and mortality is high . As a result, the vast majority of Wisconsin's mantid sightings are restricted to southern and eastern counties where temperatures are slightly warmer during the winter months .

In 2017, there was a distinct increase in mantid sightings in Wisconsin, likely due to two consecutive mild winters . Assuming an egg case makes it through the winter, hundreds of juvenile mantids emerge in spring and surviving individuals reach maturity by late summer .

Identifying Different Mantis Egg Cases

Not all oothecae look the same. If you're searching your garden this winter, you might come across cases from different species. Here's how to tell them apart based on expert sources :

Species	Egg Case Appearance
Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis)	Large, round, about 1.5 inches long, often wrapped around a twig like foam insulation .
Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina)	Smaller and flatter, tan to light brown, with a distinct white-to-gray band running down the center .
European Mantis (Mantis religiosa)	Smaller than Chinese mantis, often found on grass stems or low vegetation .

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden notes that Chinese mantises have distinct vertical stripes between their eyes and Carolina mantises do not, which can help identify adults in summer .

How You Can Help: Protecting Egg Cases

Now that you know do praying mantis survive winter, you can actively support their life cycle in your garden. Finding an egg case is like discovering a natural time capsule of pest control. Here's what you should do, according to Iowa State University Extension :

If You Find an Egg Case Outdoors

First, congratulations! You've found a source of future pest control. The best thing you can do is leave it where it is, as long as it's in a safe location. If you want to observe the hatch, you can carefully cut the twig and move it to a sheltered spot.

Critical Warning: If you bring an egg case indoors during winter, the warmth will trick the eggs into hatching in the middle of winter (January or February) . At that time, there will be no food for the tiny nymphs, and they will quickly starve or eat each other .

Iowa State University Extension advises: "Do not keep it indoors or the eggs may hatch in January or February when there is no chance to release them outdoors" . Instead, store the egg case in an unheated garage, porch, or shed where it experiences near-outdoor temperatures . Bring it inside in mid-spring to watch the hatch, then release the nymphs immediately .

If You Purchase Egg Cases

If you don't find any egg cases in your yard, you can purchase them from garden centers or online sources. This is a fantastic way to boost the mantis population in your garden. Think of these purchased egg cases as nature's free samples of biological pest control—a starter kit for a healthier garden ecosystem. By introducing them, you're ensuring a generation of tiny predators ready to hunt pests in the spring, acting like free samples of natural defense for your plants.

When the nymphs hatch, they will be all right together for a day or two, but then they will begin to eat each other . To maximize the number of survivors, nymphs need to be moved to separate cages, or more practically, scattered around the outdoor environment after a day of observation .

What Not to Do

Never put an egg case on the ground; the eggs inside will quickly be consumed by ants. And remember: mantids are indiscriminate predators. While they eat pests, they also eat beneficial insects like bees and butterflies . Utah State University Extension notes that "mantids are not the most effective biological control agents" because they are not host-specific and will eat almost anything .

Conclusion: The Cycle Continues

So, do praying mantis survive winter? The answer is no—at least, not the adults you know. They live out their final days in the fall, mate, and leave behind a legacy sealed in a tiny, foam-like case. The adults perish with the frost, but their species survives, waiting patiently for the warmth of spring to release the next generation of garden guardians.

This winter, take a walk through your garden. Look closely at the bare branches, the fence posts, and the dried flower stems. You might just spot a mantis egg case—a promise that life will return when the weather warms. And when you see that first tiny nymph next June, you'll understand the incredible journey it took to get there.