How Do Praying Mantis Benefit The Garden

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praying mantis on a stick

praying mantis on a fence in the backyard

One way to maintain an organic garden is to attract praying mantis to your garden. Praying mantis eat insects. They can even eat wasps! So attracting mantis to your yard provides natural pest control.

Praying mantis provide natural pest control in your garden! Use these tips for attracting praying mantis to your yard to help provide an organic solution to garden pests.

Praying Mantis are a great friend to have, as they can help keep your garden pest-free. Praying Mantis have a huge appetite and are happy to devour pests that would otherwise turn your garden into their own personal buffet. You can avoid the use of chemical insecticides when you attract these gentle creatures to your garden instead. Not sure how? Take a peek below at how to attract praying mantis to your garden and enjoy a pest-free space.

How to Attract Praying Mantis to your Garden

Praying mantis will eat aphids, mosquitoes, flies, caterpillars, grasshoppers, beetles, moths, spiders, roaches, bees, hornets, wasps, and crickets. If you are in a hurry to get praying mantis in your yard, you can always buy a praying mantis egg case.

1. Give them a hiding spot.

Praying mantis love to hide. Provide them some ground cover plants to sneak away in. Hostas are a great choice as they provide an umbrella close to the soil that these fellows will love.

2. Keep them hydrated.

Praying mantis can get quite thirsty in the hot summer months, so provide them water to stay cool. Place a shallow dish with rocks in it in the garden. Add water to the dish so praying mantis can climb in and out to sip. A shallow dish is the key to not posing a danger to the praying mantis as well as not attracting mosquitoes.

3. Read your insecticide labels.

If you need to use an insecticide, use one that will not harm beneficial bugs. You should be able to find this information right on the label of the product. Make sure the product you are using will not harm praying mantis, ladybugs, and other creatures that can actually help your garden, not hurt it.

4. Place out attractant.

You can make your own attractant to lure these beneficial creatures in. Mix ten tablespoons of water with one tablespoon of sugar. Mix well and place in a shallow dish. Praying mantis will love this concoction and come and dine.

5. Plant some flowers.

Praying mantis will be attracted to plants such as cosmos, marigolds, and dill. Plant these flowers and herbs and watch them flock. Plus, you will enjoy having these blooms in your yard as well!

The praying mantis eating a wasp.

See how simple it can be to attract praying mantis to y our yard? When you do, you will enjoy natural pest protection from a variety of pests including wasps. Give these tips a try and see what a difference they can make.

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