Praying Mantis (likely Chinese Mantis)

Natural Habitat

Gardens, meadows, and shrubbery across North America and Asia; often found on plants waiting for prey.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivorous predator; eats insects like grasshoppers, crickets, flies, and occasionally small vertebrates like hummingbirds or lizards.

Behavior Patterns

Ambush predator that uses camouflage and stays motionless for long periods. Noted for sexual cannibalism and laying eggs in a protective foamy case called an ootheca.

Risks & Benefits

Beneficial as biological pest control for gardens. They are harmless to humans, though they may nip if handled roughly; they have no venom.

Identified on: 1/13/2026