How to Attract Praying Mantis to Your Garden

Alien-looking, long, slender bugs with ever-watching eyes, the Praying Mantis is a truly unique and absolutely voracious beneficial insect with a fearless attitude!

The word Mantis in Greek means “prophet” or “seer” and they’ve been kept as pets and raised by enthusiasts around the world. Revered as messengers passing along some spiritual secrets, Mantis have long been associated with the belief it's time to pause, relax and reflect on our surroundings.

Chinese philosophy compares them to courageous and fearless warriors with a unique fighting style - both fast, camouflaged, and fluid. In Western philosophy, the way Mantises hold their front legs up as if in prayer has led to their namesake and given rise to religious symbolism as divine messengers and wake-up calls.

Around the world, Mantis symbolize stillness, contemplation, calm, patience, mindfulness and awareness, but also creativity, balance, and intuition. Reminding you that all good things come to those who wait. They’re great to have around your Meditation and Zen gardens!

All About Mantis

Mantises are a large family of insects with an insanely wide range of sizes and colors. They live worldwide in a variety of temperate to tropical climates! Out of the 2,400 species, they are part of a handful of bugs with raptorial forelegs that grasp and hold prey. They are one of the few that can swivel their heads 180 degrees!

Those bulbous compound eyes and triangular heads always keep an eye on you and their next meal! They can also keep an eye out for bats, which are their largest predator.

Can see up to 60 feet and see in 3-D!
Turn their heads 180 degrees (other bugs can’t do that)
Move in a stealthy method of swaying and rocking to avoid detection
Some Mantis have a type of echolocation like bats (to avoid being eaten by them)
Use cryptic mimicry to camouflage themselves
They can rear up and spread their wings with false eye spots to look scary
Some species can hiss when threatened
Eating anything they can catch - even each other
They are very agile and can jump well and jump fast
Can lay 100-400 eggs
They have a third (sometimes fourth), more primitive eye (ocellus) on their forehead
The State insect of South Carolina
Enthusiasts keep Mantis as pets!
Their eardrum is located on the belly between their four hind legs!

Fantastic pest control and very beneficial (though they do eat everything and anything), larger species in other areas of the world have been seen eating frogs, lizards, birds, and snakes! Those with Hummingbird feeders even need to keep an eye out for an overly confident Mantis! I’ve personally seen one pluck a paper wasp straight out of the air and devour it in seconds, discarding the fiddly legs and wings like a picky eater! She then cleaned her legs like a satisfied cat, all the while looking at me like I was next.

Known for ambush hunting styles, the female's weird cannibalism dating style, and a unique method of moving without being noticed, which involves rocking and swaying, to look like nothing more than any other swaying leaf or stem in the breeze.

They have the unique ability to camouflage themselves with their surroundings - taking on the exact color, texture, and shape of flowers, leaves, sticks, moss, bark, lichens, and anything else they find themselves living around. They simply molt and seem to blend in seamlessly, mimicking their surroundings! Holding absolutely still for hours to ambush their prey!

They’re like little garden ninjas!

Types of Mantis

While here in the US, we have the Chinese, European, and native species of Carolina and Agile Mantis. Other species typically found throughout North America, but aren’t necessarily native are -

Grizzled Mantis
Mediterranean Mantis
Minor Ground Mantids
European Mantis
Little Yucatan Mantis
Slim Mexican Mantis
Scudder’s Mantis
Arizona Unicorn Mantis
California Mantis
Large Florida Mantis
Bordered Mantis
Narrow-Winged Mantis
Grass-Like Mantis
Yersin’s Grund and Horned Ground Mantis

There is also a slew of niche Mantids around the world! Check out these varieties next time you are browsing around the internet -

Malaysian Orchid Mantis - Colorful and matches specific orchids
Flower and Spiny Flower Mantis - Look identical to the flowers they hunt on
Dragon Mantis of Brazil
African Mantis
Ghost Mantis - Leaf-like bodies
Wandering Violin Mantis - Pronounced Violin-shaped abdomen
Unicorn Mantis or Conehead Mantis - Elongated slender heads & ‘headdresses’
Giant Asian Mantis
Shield Mantis - Wide, flat bodies to look exactly like leaves
Dead Leaf Mantis - Looks like, you guessed it, a dead leaf on the forest floor

The Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) is the native species here in the United States. They grow to about 2-3 inches and are long and slender. Typically tan or brown, sometimes green, and even mottled gray (I’ve seen bright yellow ones!). One species native to the southwest United States and Southern Canada is the Agile Ground Mantis.

There are non-native European Mantis (Mantis religiosa) that have been naturalized here in the states as well, and can grow about 3 inches long. They look very similar to the Carolina Mantis and have similar traits and diets. They often have a dot under their bodies between their legs.

Another larger species, up to 5 inches long, is the Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis), which is almost similar in color and form.

Females are always larger than males, and both can molt to have wings when they’re older. Females create a foamy mass, secreted from their abdomens, to lay hundreds of eggs into this foam. It then hardens into a protective cocoon called ootheca.

This ootheca can be long and slender with evenly spaced ridges and lay flat along a surface, or they can be round and thicker and attached to plant stems. You’ll find these hanging from branches, leaves, or adhered to fencing and your home's siding. The nymphs hatch out of this nest in the spring. Be careful while doing garden clean-up, not to accidentally dispose of next year's garden Kung Fu warriors.

Attracting Praying Mantis to your Garden!

The best method of attracting and keeping Mantises in your garden is simple! Grow organically and plant native species!

Pesticides can wreak havoc on Mantis bodies as much as they can on the insects you are trying to kill. Choose spot treatments and organic means of control instead of carpet bombing the entire area and indiscriminately killing everything. Not only will you kill your Mantis, but also your bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, plus all the food for your Mantis, in one fell swoop.

Beyond that, Praying Mantis just seem to pop up in any garden location with ample shade and cover, regular moisture, and places to hide. They do prefer to be around flowering plants and vegetable gardens. They also seem to enjoy plants in the Rose and Raspberry family, because these plants attract many insects for them to eat!

how to attract praying mantis infographic

Want a fun activity with the kids (or for your own enjoyment)? Next time you are in the garden in early spring and happen upon a Mantis cocoon - drop it in a jar with very small holes in the lid, or a fine mesh screen, and keep it in a protected area you can watch daily. By mid-spring, the nymphs will hatch and you’ll be able to release hundreds of baby Mantis into your garden! (Just be sure to watch it carefully and check back twice a day.)

In a hurry to have Mantis in your garden? You can even buy Mantis egg cases and tuck them into your garden for free pest control! Or keep them as pets! They rarely bite, even when handled, but have been known to give you a good nip when you get too rough.

Great Garden Ninjas!

Like little martial artists, Mantis are as fast as lightning, as agile as a cat, can hide in plain sight, and attack from the shadows!

So next time you see one of these curious insects looking at you like you’re the blue plate special, stop and take a moment to relax, and hear their message of peace and tranquility in the garden! Then let them be as they saunter through your garden, eating what’s bugging you most!

Appreciate Praying Mantis and other beneficial insects and welcome them into your garden with the help of NatureHills.com!

Happy Planting!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I attract praying mantis to my garden naturally?

Praying mantis are naturally drawn to gardens that offer dense vegetation for camouflage, a diverse insect population for food, and minimal pesticide use. Since mantis use cryptic mimicry to blend into their surroundings, planting tall grasses, shrubs, and layered perennials gives them ideal hunting habitat. Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides that eliminate their food source and can harm mantis directly. To give populations a head start, you can purchase mantis egg cases and place them in sheltered spots among your plants in early spring before temperatures consistently reach 70 degrees F.

What plants should I grow to attract praying mantis to my yard?

Praying mantis are naturally drawn to yards with dense, layered plantings that provide camouflage and hunting grounds, so focus on growing tall ornamental grasses, shrubs with complex branching structures, and flowering perennials that attract the smaller insects mantis love to eat. Roses, marigolds, dill, fennel, and angelica are especially effective because they bring in aphids and other soft-bodied prey that keep mantis well-fed and resident in your garden. Avoid broad-spectrum pesticides entirely, as these will kill mantis egg cases and nymphs before they have a chance to establish. Plant a variety of these species throughout your beds to create the layered, prey-rich habitat mantis need to thrive and multiply season after season.

How can I find praying mantis already living in my backyard?

Praying mantises are masters of camouflage, using cryptic mimicry to blend seamlessly into foliage, bark, and stems, so slow down and look carefully among dense shrubs, tall grasses, and flowering plants where prey is abundant. The best times to spot them are in late summer and fall when they are fully grown and more active, or in early spring when you can search for their tan, foamy egg cases attached to twigs and stems. Scan plants slowly and watch for their signature swaying motion, which they use to mimic wind movement and avoid detection. Start your search in areas with high insect activity, as mantises will position themselves wherever the hunting is best.

Why are praying mantis beneficial for garden pest control?

Praying mantis are highly effective natural pest control agents because they are voracious, agile predators that will eat virtually any insect they can catch, including common garden pests. They can see up to 60 feet away, turn their heads 180 degrees to track prey, and use stealth techniques like swaying and rocking to sneak up on targets undetected. To take advantage of their pest control benefits, encourage mantis to take up residence in your garden by providing dense plantings for shelter and avoiding broad-spectrum pesticides that would eliminate their food source and harm them directly.

How do I encourage praying mantis to stay in my garden once they arrive?

Praying mantis are territorial hunters that will stay where food and shelter are abundant, so focus on creating a diverse, pesticide-free garden with dense plantings like ornamental grasses, shrubs, and flowering perennials that give them places to hide and hunt. Because mantis eat virtually any insect they can catch, maintaining a healthy population of prey insects by avoiding broad-spectrum pesticides is the single most important factor in keeping them around. Place mantis egg cases (oothecae) in protected spots within shrubs or tall grasses in early spring, securing them at roughly the same height and orientation you found them, and the hatching nymphs will naturally establish themselves in the surrounding area.

Can I use praying mantis egg cases to establish a population in my garden?

Yes, praying mantis egg cases, called oothecae, are a popular and effective way to introduce these beneficial predators to your garden. Each egg case can contain 100 to 400 eggs, giving you a strong starting population of hungry hunters. Place egg cases in sheltered spots among shrubs or tall plants in early spring, secured loosely with twine, so the hatchlings emerge just as pest populations begin to build. Avoid using broad-spectrum pesticides after releasing them, as this will undermine the very population you are working to establish.

How do gardeners in Florida attract and support praying mantis populations?

Florida gardeners can attract praying mantis by planting dense, layered vegetation that gives these camouflage experts places to hunt and hide, including tall grasses, flowering perennials, and shrubs suited to Zones 8 through 10. Reducing or eliminating pesticide use is essential, as chemical sprays will wipe out mantis populations along with the pest insects they feed on. You can also purchase mantis egg cases, called oothecae, and attach them to shrub stems or fence posts in late winter or early spring before temperatures consistently reach the 70s, giving the emerging nymphs a head start on pest season. Focus on creating a diverse garden with plenty of prey insects by growing pollinator-friendly plants, and avoid disturbing egg cases you find attached to stems during your fall and winter cleanup.

What garden conditions do praying mantis prefer when choosing a habitat?

Praying mantis thrive in gardens with dense, layered vegetation that provides both hunting grounds and camouflage, as they rely on cryptic mimicry to blend into their surroundings. They are highly adaptable insects found in temperate to tropical climates worldwide, so most home gardens across U.S. growing zones can support a healthy mantis population. To attract and keep them, focus on planting a diverse mix of shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses that shelter their egg cases (oothecae) through winter and give newly hatched nymphs plenty of cover and prey in spring.

Should I avoid pesticides if I want praying mantis to thrive in my garden?

Yes, avoiding broad-spectrum pesticides is essential if you want praying mantis to thrive, as these chemicals kill beneficial insects alongside harmful ones. Mantis are highly sensitive to chemical treatments, and eliminating their food source through pesticide use defeats the purpose of attracting them in the first place. Focus instead on integrated pest management strategies and let your mantis population handle garden pests naturally, since they will eat virtually anything they can catch, from aphids to caterpillars.

How long does it take to see praying mantis activity after making my garden more welcoming to them?

Praying mantis are patient hunters by nature, so expect to wait at least one full growing season before noticing consistent activity in your garden. If you are starting from egg cases, nymphs hatch in spring when temperatures consistently reach around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and they will begin hunting within their first few days. To speed up establishment, reduce or eliminate pesticide use, plant dense shrubby borders for cover, and avoid disturbing leaf litter where egg cases may be overwintering.

Free Pest Control - Attracting Praying Mantis!