This fascinating creature is even the subject of several Internet homepages, some of them serious, some fantastic. It is a relatively good insect, in that it devours many garden pests, but unfortunately it will also go after all the other beneficials we have tried to encourage. The mantis also provides interest for children who may be just beginning to explore nature and its workings. There are more than 100 species in North America, feeding on flies, mosquitoes, beetles, caterpillars, and many other pests. They are also True Bugs, which include Squash bugs, Tarnished Plant bugs, and Harlequin bugs, which Assassins also devour.
Adults have a flattened oval shape with a conical head and a curved beak.
They measure an inch long, with longer legs than those of destructive bugs. These bugs can inflict a nasty bite, so shake plants before harvesting or cutting, to send the bugs into hiding. Other beneficial insects are wasps of all sorts, yellowjackets, and honeybees. And it is imprudent to try to eradicate these helpers. Anyway, most of the time a bee or wasp will sting when there is nothing else it could do.