(Des Moines, IA) — This is praying mantis maternity season. People are posting photos of babies hatching in their gardens, often by the hundreds.
“Not all of them will survive, though, so only a small number will actually make it to adulthood. We tend to see those high populations once they emerge, crawling all over the garden, but we don’t see nearly as many adults once they are fully grown. We might be lucky to see a handful of adults by the time late summer comes around,” said Zach Schumm, an entomologist at Iowa State University.
Schumm says praying mantises do not harm people, and they feed on other insects that can damage plants.
Schumm added that the cooler temperatures this winter and spring may have delayed insect development this summer. He believes it’s only a matter of time before praying mantises begin appearing in larger numbers.
