I was tending my flower beds when I spied some movement on a batch of Black Eyed Susan blooms. A small praying mantis was looking for lunch among the flowers! It saw me at the same time and really gave me the stare down. It was a brave little insect that held it's ground and didn't move away from someone much larger that itself.

The praying mantis was introduced in the southeastern US in the late 1800's for pest control. They are natives of China and have now migrated across the southeast and can be found as far north as Missouri and the southern counties of Iowa.

August and September are prime time for finding praying mantis in southern Iowa gardens. Mantises hatch in the spring, grow all summer and lay eggs in the fall before dying. The average mantis is 4 to 5 inches long. It was not that long ago that there were not that many of them in southwestern Iowa; it has been theorized that milder winters has allowed them to migrate across the state. They have also now been found in greater numbers in central Iowa where before they have been closer to the southern counties of the state.

No chemicals is the mantra of my garden so I encourage all the insects that chew and nibble their way through the harmful pests. I have never purchased egg cases to plant in my yard as they seem to populate the area well by themselves. They can and do eat all prey that comes into their grip so I realized they eat some of the beneficial insects, like bees, as well but I accept the trade-off gladly. Their main prey is crickets, grasshoppers (yeah), moths and flies.

The praying mantis is one of my favorite insects. They are a joy to watch as they walk their way around the flowers, bobbing and swaying as they sneak on up their meal. What would summer be without gently catching on of these amazing creatures in your hand to observe close up a perfect predator? Kids of all ages would miss them terribly if they disappeared!