If You See This in Your New York Garden, Do Not Touch It

Were you one of those kids who thought it was cool to squash bugs? I was not, but I had friends and relatives who did. I didn't see the point. Well, kids will be kids...isn't that what people say?

Anyway, there is one insect that you should just leave be. That insect is the Praying Mantis. You've probably seen them before. They are green or brown in color and known for their posture - "prominent, bent and angled- that makes it look as though they are “praying”-- which is where they get their non-scientific name from" according to the A-1 Pest Control website.

The Praying Mantis serves a great purpose as an organic pest control. They, well, pray on many types of pests, acting as an effective form of organic pest control.

Because Praying Mantises will go after a ton of different types of pests, they can act as an effective form of organic pest control. A-1 Pest Control notes that the Praying Mantis is a great help for farmers and gardeners as far as protecting crops.

So, now you know the importance of the Praying Mantis, but do you know that you could inadvertently destroy Praying Mantis eggs without knowing it? While they are protecting your garden, they are also laying eggs. Before you weed out the garden, be sure you are not throwing away or destroying a Praying Mantis egg case.

Take a look at this Instagram video from Nature's Good Guys for an example of what a Praying Mantis egg case looks like.