I'd say foe. I know they go after hummingbirds.

Definitely avoided! They like to lie in wait on nectar plants for unsuspecting butterflies. I've personally witnessed one trying to eat a cloudless sulphur - I managed to set the sulphur free with only a little damage to its lower wing. I move any mantises I find in my garden to the woods, away from so many nectar plants - I guess they can eat bugs in the woods.
MissSherry

FOE! I raise 'em but put them out in the Rose Garden which is Far, FaR, fAr away from any butterflies. They don't travel far so this is a safe place for the buggers. :)

Yep, one ate a Monarch right in front of my eyes last year. I actually have pictures of it.

Maryann

I saw two of these last year and I just have to say when they follow you with there eyes, the way that they can turn there neck is freaky! This has to be one of the strangest insects I have ever seen, neat, but strange. Sherry, how do you raise them? What is there life like? I do not know a thing about them other than that neck thing which really is wierd.

Aggie

OOh, most cool thing, Aggie!

I buy the ootheca (egg sac), place it in one of my big bug containers, and just wait! I do this at school with my Kindergartners and it is an awesome thing. Teaches them a lot about PATIENCE because it takes forever for the little nymphs to hatch but when they do...woo-hoo! Around 150+ come out of one ootheca and it is an awesome sight to behold, for sure.

So, 'raise them' isn't quite the correct term, I should use here. ;P

I give each child several to take home and place in their gardens. I've had kids come back to give me reports of how large their Praying Mantids have grown (or if theirs has died), and whether they've observed them catch and eat any bugs. I've also taught them WHERE to place the insectivores so as not to have them eat any butterflies! We discuss the eating habits as well as 'preying' habits as well. It is a fun lesson for the kids and as you know, kids LOVE bugs anyway.

My thinking and reason is this: I feel it is important to teach a LOT of science to children and science has really been taken out of the schools nowadays (at least in California). Gardening is an enjoyable and relaxing hobby as well as way to have your home look nice. Integrating some knowledge about insects and gardening into the school curriculum together with lifecycles (I also teach about plant lifecycles) gets the children to go home and start thinking about their OWN HOMES as well as the community and making the community a nicer place to live for the people and 'wildlife.' Knowledge about insects helps to make them aware of what is a 'good' vs. 'bad' bug (biters vs. non-biters, poisonous vs. non-poisonous, beneficial...) and at the same time, we end up with, hopefully, LESS pesticides being used in the communities and more of the beneficial insects (placed in the areas where there aren't any butterflies, of course!). I always bring home all the extra Praying Mantids for my front yard. :)

Foe. Good for getting rid of pests but they also eat butterflies and moths...and hummies...so says my Dad and Uncle. They say they saw a hummie in the clutches of a big mantis earlier this year.

Have photographed numerous butterflies and moths over the years in the clutches of a praying mantis...never seen a hummie in one in real life yet but have seen photos.

~ Cat

argh. so having nectaring plants in the same bed with roses would be an invitation to disaster?

Jeri in Texas

Jeri...the mantids and the roses don't go hand in hand. tdogmom just mentioned that the rose garden is where she puts her praying mantids, since it happens to be far away from her butterfly garden.

tdogmom, where do you buy the praying mantis egg sac?

My daughter is entering 4th grade, and I bet this could be a great project for her class. Her teacher is wonderful, and has been very welcoming of me when I bring in various caterpillars to live in the classroom until they transform. I can imagine collaborating with her on this - I'd be so excited to see baby praying mantises (mantids?)

I too catch a few a year in my butterfly garden, and walk them over to the vegetable garden at school to release. Some are bright green, others duff colored (like dry parsley stems!). I wonder if that is an age/stage thing or response to climate or what.

- Lisa in St. Louis