Praying Mantis - Single Egg Case

Praying Mantis (mantids) are one of the most aggressive predators in the garden. Mantids will prey on almost any insect they can overpower.

Praying Mantis (Tenodera Sinensis) also known as the Chinese Praying Mantis is a great general predator for pests, which is carnivorous, with a voracious appetite that will consume caterpillars, cockroaches, moths, butterflies, grasshoppers, crickets, spiders, flies, bees and wasps. As they grow larger however they can consume small reptiles and amphibians. These silent predators wait quietly for the perfect time to strike the garden pests, even waiting hours at a time. The Praying Mantids will attack without warning, biting the neck of the prey and ultimately killing and consuming its food. While resting the Mantis holds its hands together giving the impression that it is praying.

Release Instructions for Praying Mantids

There is approximately 50-200 Praying Mantis per egg case. For these Praying Mantid egg pods to begin hatching they require at least several weeks of warm to hot weather however in some instances can take up to 8 weeks. This allows the Mantis to hatch out at a period of time that a pest food source will be present. For best results attach the Mantids egg cases to a plant and or a twig roughly 1-2 feet off the ground. When Mantisis begin hatching whey will exit a microscopic flap on the egg sac and will hang from silk threads until they dry out. After this the Mantis will disperse into the surrounding plants. The egg cases will show no signs of the Mantid hatching and the only way to know if the egg has hatched is to find one of the Praying Mantises around the area. However this will be difficult because the young Mantis is well camouflaged and elusive predators. You may also place the eggs into a bag and or container, out of direct sunlight, and wait until the babies have all hatched. Once they have hatched take the bag outside and release them into your yard and surrounding area.

Praying Mantis will start consuming their prey after leaving the egg case. At first they may only go after small insects such as aphids but as they begin to grow and mature they will start going after much larger prey. A full grown Mantis can reach up top several inches long by the end of summer. In the fall the female Mantis will lay eggs, covered in a frothy secretion that will harden to help protect the egg from the environment and predators. Several of these egg cases can be laid before the cold of winter finally sets in. As the weather warms up the cycle will then begin again

Attach the egg cases to a twig or plant. 2 egg cases per 3,000 sq. ft. To monitor hatching of the egg case place the egg cases in a paper bag and fold the top. Place the bag in a warm room and out of direct sun light. Periodically open the bag and check to see if hatching has occurred. If hatching has occurred take out and release the young. Sometimes hatching can take up to eight weeks.

Pesticides and even wetting agents and spreader-stickers may adversely affect mantid's survival. Broad spectrum and systemic insecticides are toxic to praying mantids.