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This predator is fascinating, colorful — and problematic

Praying mantid can be both good and bad


Purple mantid on lavender rose
A mantid has changed color while hanging out on a Fragrant Lavender Simplicity rose. (Photo: Debbie Arrington)


This fascinating creature changes its color to blend into its surroundings. When that backdrop is a purple or orange rose, that makes for interesting camouflage.

This August, I’ve been watching the praying mantids that inhabit my rose garden. They have an appetite for aphids, which makes them welcome on my no-spray bushes.

But really, mantids will eat anything that comes near their huge forelegs, which also makes them problematic. They’re a beneficial insect that also eats other beneficials, such as bees or butterflies.

Recently, I watched in horror as a mantid ripped off the head of a little sweat bee that had come too close to the floribunda where the predator was lurking. The mantid watched me as it ate, cocking its triangular head as if waiting for a reaction. “That’s not very nice,” I scolded, too late to help the poor bee.

What would you expect? Mantids aren’t nice; the females famously cannibalize their own species after mating.

Their indiscriminate consumption of other insects has downgraded the praying mantid (or mantis) status as garden good guy. The UC Integrated Pest Management pest notes do not recommend their introduction.

“Although mantids are fascinating creatures, they are of no benefit for biological pest control,” say the pest notes. “Mantids feed on any insect they can catch, and commonly prey indiscriminately on beneficial and nonpest species including bees, butterflies and syrphids. Even if mantids specialized on pests, this likely would be of little benefit; mantids are relatively inactive, and despite their large size, each individual consumes relatively few insects.”

Adds the UC Cooperative Extension master gardeners, “As mantids consume both pests and beneficials, they are difficult to use reliably for biological control.”

Nonetheless, I let my mantids continue to roam my rose beds, if only for the entertainment. No other insect puts on such a colorful show – and it doesn’t eat the roses.

One morning, a mantid might be bright green and roam onto a rose in search of food. By afternoon, it’s the same shade as the flower – pink, orange or purple. And it doesn’t mind if people watch.

For more about mantids here:
https://www2.ipm.ucanr.edu/natural-enemies/mantids/

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Dig In: Garden Checklist

For week of March 24:

In between cloud bursts, try to catch up with early spring chores. 

* Attack weeds now! Get them before they flower and go to seed. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout. Aim for 1 inch below the soil line.

* Start preparing vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.

* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.

* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.

* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product).

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch thick under the tree. This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.

* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.

* Seed and renovate the lawn (if you still have one). Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.

* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as cabbage, broccoli, collards and kale.

* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground.

* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.

* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.

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