Praying Mantis for the Garden

A few weeks ago I was gifted a very unique gift… a carton of praying mantis for the garden! My friend Greg picked them up from a plant nursery in Atlanta, and we patiently waited for two weeks until they hatched. Now, you might not think this is a great gift… but I was absolutely delighted.

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Praying Mantis are not just super cool to look at, they are also hugely beneficial to your garden. One of the primary reasons praying mantis are so beneficial is their role as natural pest controllers.

Do praying mantis eat aphids?

Absolutely. Aphids, those tiny, sap-sucking pests that can wreak havoc on your plants, are a favorite snack for praying mantis. By introducing praying mantis insects into your garden, you can naturally reduce the population of aphids without resorting to chemical pesticides.

But it doesn't stop there. Praying mantis have a diverse diet that includes many other common garden pests. Caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers are all on the menu. This broad appetite helps maintain a balanced ecosystem in your garden. It ensures that no single pest population can grow out of control and damage your plants.

You can attract praying mantises to your garden naturally by cultivating a bug-friendly environment with tall grasses, shrubbery, as well as their favorite plants such as roses and dill. In late fall, adult praying mantises lay their egg cases in trees and shrubs, ensuring that young predators hatch in the spring to safeguard your plants.

Where to Buy Praying Mantis

If you're considering buying praying mantis to introduce to your garden, you may be able to find them in your local nursery or you can order them online during hatching season. These can be placed in your garden, where they will hatch and disperse. Watching the young mantises grow and start their pest control duties can be a fascinating experience.

Praying mantis are also incredibly low maintenance. Once they are in your garden, they require no additional care. They will naturally seek out and consume pests, providing ongoing benefits with little to no effort on your part. This makes them an ideal solution for gardeners looking for a hassle-free way to improve their garden's health.

I was so excited to see these little guys hatch and run around in the raised garden beds looking for food. I am excited to see them grow and “work in the garden” with me.