A home gardener found a mysterious brown blob on one of the rose stems they trimmed from their rose bush. They posted in r/gardening on Reddit to ask for help in identifying it.
The consensus among the commenters was that it was a Chinese praying mantis ootheca. An ootheca is an egg case produced by the female praying mantis to protect her eggs.
Redditors chatted in the gardening forum about their thoughts on the ootheca and the praying mantis species that creates it. One shared that they once saw a video of one catching and eating a hummingbird, so they were not a fan of the insect.
"Kind of fascinating," responded another commenter. "But I would also probably have cried."
The scoop
The story of the praying mantis eating a hummingbird could be a bit sad and shocking to many people. But the mantis ootheca proved that the original poster had a thriving, balanced garden. It was a sign that the garden was attracting insects and likely other creatures and pollinators.
The Chinese praying mantis is native to Asia. They have been in the U.S. since about 1896.
Though they aren't considered native in the U.S., they are naturalized with a stable population.
This means they are also not considered to be invasive. The ootheca is actually evidence that the OP is doing something right.
How it's helping
Having a natural garden with native species supports local ecosystems and also reconnects us with nature. Connection of this kind benefits our physical and mental health.
Natural, native gardens thrive because they are acclimated to the climate and soil conditions in their region. They require less water, which saves resources and money. They don't typically need chemical fertilizers, weed killers, or chemical pest control either, which makes them even more eco-friendly.
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I can grow anything 😎 Native gardens attract wildlife, as the OP shared, so the plants, animals, and insects establish mutualistic relationships, benefiting from each other. A thriving native garden contributes to a balanced ecosystem.
What everyone's saying
After helping the OP identify the ootheca, Redditors participated in a lively discussion.
"I found the same thing on my rhododendron," shared one commenter.
"It will likely grow to be a charismatic politician," teased another.
"I hatch praying mantis(es) into my garden every year," one Redditor shared. "They eat the pests in your garden."
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