Predators in the Bee Yard: The Mantis

I have to admit, my gateway insect to the world of beekeeping wasn’t the honey bee. It wasn’t even the ants I followed as they made their way through my mother’s rose garden, although ants’ social behavior fascinated me. No, the insect that first caught my imagination was the mantis – that dangerous, stalking predator with a taste for bees.

Often called the "praying mantis" due to the way it holds its large, spiked front legs as though in prayer, this insect is part of the Mantodea order, which includes around 2,400 species worldwide. While it might surprise you, their closest relatives are termites and cockroaches – not something you’d expect when you’re staring into the large, calculating eyes of a mantis.

You’ll find mantises across the globe in temperate and tropical climates, hanging out in fields, gardens, and—yes—bee yards like mine.

One of the most commonly seen species is the European mantis (Mantis religiosa). These fearsome hunters come in shades of green or brown, and like a lot of insects, the females are bigger than the males. Females can reach up to 9 cm, compared to the 6-7 cm males. Later in the season, you’ll notice the female’s abdomen growing larger as she prepares to lay her eggs in an egg case called an ootheca—a peanut-like mass that looks like it's made of tan Styrofoam. Fun hint for Scrabble players: Ootheca is often shortened to “Ooth” and a handy word to remember!

Now, before you worry, a mantis isn’t dangerous to you. They don’t bite or sting, and they aren’t poisonous. However, their head movements can be a bit unnerving as they track you with their large, compound eyes. Their black "pupils" give the eerie impression that they're watching you closely, but what you’re seeing is actually a pseudopupil—a result of light reflecting off their eye facets. When threatened, mantises can put on quite the show: they’ll rear up, spread their wings, and flash two large false “eyes” on the insides of their forelegs to make themselves look bigger. I’ve had them strike at me, and as an adult, it is thrilling!

Mantises are fearless. They’re the only creatures I’ve ever encountered (besides maybe a house cat!) that make me feel like I’m being sized up for a meal. But they are beneficial to the ecosystem, keeping pests like grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles in check. However, if you have a bee yard—or even a hummingbird feeder—watch out! There are photos online of mantises taking down hummingbirds. As wild as that sounds, these photos have been around long before AI and Photoshop, so I believe it’s real.

In the bee yard, a mantis might position itself near the hive entrance, waiting for bees to return from foraging. With lightning speed, it’ll snatch an unsuspecting bee right out of the air, holding it in its spiked grasp for a quick meal.

But don’t worry—mantises won’t depopulate your hive. They’re nothing to fear, unlike the Yellow-Legged Hornet, which has recently been spotted in the southeastern U.S. and is spreading across Europe. In fact, seeing a mantis in your yard is a good sign! It means your space can support a diverse insect population, which is a marker of a healthy environment.

Now, if only I could train a mantis to go after varroa mites or small hive beetles!