Chinese Mantis (hatching)

The Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis) is an introduced species to North America. It has been introduced intentionally as a natural insect control for gardens (though they aren't picky about what they eat and have been known to kill lizards, frogs and even hummingbirds!). The egg cases (called ootheca) are laid in the late summer and fall and hatch in the spring (here in the Northeast US anyway). These egg cases can hatch hundreds of baby mantids (called nymphs). When the babies of this species hatch, they hatch all at once, as you can see here.