Hello gardening friends,
I found this...uh.. praying mantis?... grasshopper?... well, this insect, between my Statice and mint. It has been there for days. I went out to water my plants this morning, and it looked at me with its big evil eyes! Please tell me if this thing will hurt my plant. Insects scare the heck out of me! Please let me know before it damages my plant. Thank you very much!
Siichan. That is a very beautiful praying mantis and it will not harm your plants as it is a predator and eats the things that eat your plants. If you mis-handle it, it could bite you, but, my kids used to carry them around in their bare hands and I move them from place to place bare-handed by simply putting my hand out palm up and giving them a gentle nudge. Have been doing that for years and never been bitten.
Please do not kill her as she is great to have in the garden.
Thank you very much for the info, themoonhowl!
Thank god that it is a beneficial insect! Even if they are harmful for my plants, I have never killed insects (I'm too scared to touch them). Well, I guess I got a new friend in my garden now.
Thank you again!
You are very welcome. I consider them the "cats of the insect world" grin
Devil's advocate here...
Keep it away from flowers that draw butterflies and hummingbirds, it has been known to kill both.
Sheila, you mean it would kill butterflies and hummingbirds?
That is definately not it's only food source. They do eat a lot of other insects that are pest in the garden. But they are on the list of insects and birds they have been known to prey upon. I am just saying if you spot one near a feeder or plants where they feed to relocate it.
This first link simply states the facts. The second link shows a picture of a hummer in the clutches of a mantis on bird watchers digest website.
http://www.totallybuggin.com/site/1586384/page/677125
http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyardbirds/hummingbirds/mantis-hummer.aspx
Thanks Sheila for the heads up!
