A gift in our garden

Back in November, while we were un-gardening, I came across something that confused me. It was a cocoon of some sort, but unlike any I had ever seen. It was hidden among the vines from our green bean plants, and I almost didn't see it.

I grabbed the section of vine, broke it off, and put it in a mason jar.

It looked almost like something a wasp might build, but just didn't make sense to be a wasp. I searched the ever-so-knowledgeable Google, but found nothing.

I finally took to social media to find the answer, posting in a group that gardens. Lucky me, it turns out it was a cocoon made by a praying mantis! People pay to get mantis eggs (cocoons) because of how beneficial they are for gardens, and here I just stumbled across one!

One egg sack can contain up to 200 babies. Being carnivorous, these are a blessing for natural pest control in the garden! (Read more about mantis benefits and facts here.)

I now have this egg sack, in the above jar, in my refrigerator. I plan on waiting until planting season (when we have plants already coming up for cover/protection) to bring it out to hatch.

Here's hoping we have a couple survive and stick around this summer!

Disclaimer: Thoughts of Fluff is responsible for all content in this post. All opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.