They tend to stay on one or two bushes throughout the season, although two or three may live in close proximity if there is enough food. Generally, a 20' X 40' garden will support, at most, two or three adult mantises. Praying mantids are most likely to be observed in the early morning or late afternoon, basking in the sunshine. During hotter periods of the day, they seek cover in shrubs, bushes and clumps of flowers where there is plenty of food and protection from predators. A fascinating behavior to watch is grooming.
Mantids conduct regular grooming throughout the day, especially after feeding.
They use their forceps to rub their heads and antennae, using a motion not unlike a cat. What purpose such grooming plays is uncertain. One writer suggests grooming cleans the eyes and antennae, necessary for good hunting. The praying mantis eats just about anything that moves, including each other. Indiscriminate eaters, they will also snare bees, butterflies, wasps and other beneficial insects.