This bug is Lantern fly worst enemy

PENNSYLVANIA (WHTM) — It is the season of the dreaded spotted lanternfly. These beautiful-looking bugs have been considered to be a major pest ever since they were found in Pennsylvania.

But there is one enemy of these bugs (besides humans) that lanternflies fear, and you can probably find this creature in your gardens or backyard.

Meet the praying mantis.

According to Penn State, over 600 photos were submitted to scientists at their College of Agricultural Sciences over the last few years. The photos that Penn State received show that praying mantises, along with chickens, enjoy eating the bug.

The praying mantis is considered to be a beneficial insect, meaning they will prey on any bug that they see, whether they are pests or beneficial. Old Farmers Almanac states that these creatures like to eat crickets, moths, grasshoppers, and even mosquitos. The insect also can feed on things such as frogs.

The reason these bugs stand in a strange stance for long periods is that they are waiting patiently to attack a bug or any other prey that comes into contact with them. Their forelegs are strong and feature overlapping spikes and they eat their prey with sharp mandibles.

This past year, we supplied multiple study groups of Chinese Tenodera sinensis , Carolina Stagmomantis carolina, and European Mantis religioso, mantids to the United States Air Force doing a study on pest control. The lantern flies, stink bugs, mud wasps are grounding aircraft . They have pest problems on their air field and the stink bugs, cicada's and lantern flies are getting into the aircraft motors and vents clogging up vital instruments. They are trying to find the most aggressive mantis species to help solve the problem. So the Tenodera sinensis is the winner