Praying Mantis Egg Casing II

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you [setting you on a firm foundation] and will protect and guard you from the evil one. – 2 Thessalonians 3:3 AMP

You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word. – Psalm 119:114 NKJV

Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. – Psalm 33:20 NKJV

For whatever reason, I have seen several egg casings from praying mantis during my hikes this spring. Perhaps I’ve just happened to be in the right place at the right time, or perhaps there are more out there than usual this year.

The praying mantis egg case is a secure and protected environment for the developing young mantis. The egg case feels a lot like Styrofoam – light and tough. It helps shield the eggs from extreme temperatures and predators, and appears highly water-resistant.

The color of the casing helps it blend in with the environment, further reducing the chance of a predator finding it.

Timing of the mantis hatch is critical. If they hatch too soon in the spring, there won’t be enough food available for them to survive. And these guys like to eat! Praying mantis consume a wide variety of food, but insects – like flies, mosquitoes (yea!), gnats, etc. make up the majority of their diet.

Cosmos the Wonderdog and I were hiking when I found the above mantis egg casing on a south-west facing slope of a mountain. This southern aspect provided the best position for the casing to warm up during the spring, since many believe temperature to be the most important factor as to when the young mantis will hatch.

Protection and Help

Observing various strategies and tactics the Lord put into wild critters for their survival, I find it interesting that He offers much of the same protection for His people. This is reflected in all three of the above Scripture passages. And there are many others as well.

Since I’ve been known to get into a lot more difficulties than I ever saw coming, I for one am very grateful for the Lord’s shield of defense. Although I’m sure I don’t know the half of it, I can think of some specific events that could have been disastrous if not for His gracious protection.

How about you?

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If you are not sure how you can have a relationship with the One Who is our help and shield, please see Got God?

Hope you have a great day.