Found this thing in my garden. Looks creepy. Should I get rid of it?

If it’s fall or winter and you find a frothy-looking, tan-brown lump attached to a branch or wall, that’s a mantis egg case—called an ootheca. Each one can hold anywhere from 100 to 400 tiny mantis nymphs, waiting to hatch in spring.

Should you get rid of it? Definitely not. If you’re into organic gardening, these little capsules are a gold mine. You can even clip the twig they’re attached to and move them to another part of the yard if you’re worried about overpopulation near your house.

Most of the time, the answer is simple: leave them alone. Praying mantises are part of a healthy, biodiverse garden. They don’t build nests, they don’t swarm, and they’re not territorial or invasive in the way wasps or ants can be.

That said, if you find a large number of mantises near a butterfly enclosure or pollinator patch and feel like they’re doing more harm than good, you can gently relocate them using a leaf or stick. Just don’t spray or kill them—they’re far too useful for that.

Yes, they look weird. Yes, they move in unsettling ways. And yes, they’re absolute predators. But praying mantises are one of nature’s best-kept secrets when it comes to pest management. They’re low-maintenance, high-impact allies for the health of your garden.

So next time you spot that creepy critter with clasped hands and curious eyes? Tip your hat. You’ve got a top-tier guardian on your side.

Found a praying mantis in your garden? Don’t panic—keep it! It’s not creepy, it’s crucial. These odd-looking insects are natural pest controllers, harmless to humans, and signs of a thriving garden ecosystem.