What is the Spiritual Meaning of a Praying Mantis?

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Learn to interpret the symbolism of the praying mantis

Co-authored by Jennifer McVey, Cht and Luke Smith, MFA

Last Updated: April 21, 2025 References

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Spiritual Meaning

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Good or Bad Luck?

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Praying Mantis Sightings

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Dreams

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Cultural Beliefs

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Spirit Animal

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Tattoo Meaning

Praying mantises are found in many places across the world, from North America to Africa to Asia.^{[1]
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Research source} So it’s no surprise that these cunning predator insects have taken on a number of spiritual meanings across many different cultures. We’ll fill you in on those spiritual meanings, and how mantises appear in various folktales and legends. We’ll also tell you about what they mean in dreams, as spirit animals, how they got their name, and plenty more, so that you get the whole picture on these revered hunters.

Things You Should Know

Praying mantises are said to symbolize patience, tranquility, and mindfulness, and serve as reminders for use to practice these in our daily lives.
Seeing a dead praying mantis may be a spiritual sign that you’ve spent too much time thinking, and now is the time to act.
Praying mantises in dreams often symbolize protection or peace, or the need to face your fears and foes head-on.

Section 1 of 7:

Spiritual Meanings of Praying Mantises

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Praying mantises are keen hunters, and that comes from their ability to remain very still and alert for long periods of time. That ability reminds us that we, too, need to be grounded and mindful in our daily lives, and to stay alert as we move through the world.^{[2]
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Praying mantises are known to hunt many insects that we consider pests. Often, when you see a praying mantis in your home or garden, you can assume it’s just doing just that. In a sense, it’s protecting your and your home. For that reason, praying mantises are often seen as guardians or symbols of protection.^{[3]
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When you observe a praying mantis, you’ll probably notice that it doesn’t move much. Praying mantises are content to sit and wait for their prey, which serves as a reminder to ourselves to slow down and enjoy the stillness of life.^{[4]
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Research source} But mantises also know when to strike, which symbolizes a need for both stillness and action—a vital balance.
The green color of many mantises is reflected all throughout nature, in the plants, water, and sometimes even the sky. All these things are ever-shifting, and their green hue represents the necessity of growth and change.^{[5]
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Research source} The green of the praying mantis reminds us not to resist change, but to embrace and pursue it as a mantis pursues and embraces its prey in its claws.
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Seeing a dead praying mantis may mean you need to act. Even praying mantises, as still and serene as they are, need to strike every so often in order to eat. If they don’t, they’ll starve. That’s why seeing a dead praying mantis is often a valuable warning that you may be spending too much time in your head, and now it’s time take action in order to achieve your goals.^{[6]
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- Dead praying mantises might also be bad omens of trouble to come, and serve as a reminder to surround yourself with friends and allies in order to weather the oncoming storm.

Section 2 of 7:

Are praying mantises good or bad luck?

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Praying mantises are generally seen as signs of good luck. It varies across cultures, but many cultures believe that seeing a praying mantis is a good omen. Many see the elegant mantis as a sign of patience, self-control, fertility, or even coming rain.^{[7]
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Research source} In some cultures, having a mantis land on you is a sign of particularly good luck.^{[8]
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- Praying mantises, like spiders, also hunt pest insects. For this reason, many farmers view praying mantises as a sign of protection or good luck with their harvest, since the mantises keep the hungry pests away from their crops.^{[9]
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- Some cultures also believe that killing a praying mantis is bad luck, since they’re beneficial insect hunters.

Section 3 of 7:

What should I do if I keep seeing praying mantises?

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Reconnect with nature. Praying mantises are significant presences in nature, and their green coloring reflects the harmony and tranquility of the natural world.^{[10]
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Research source} Find some time to get out in nature, whether that means going on a hike, camping, or even just taking a walk in the park. Humans are animals, too, and we all need to reconnect with our natural roots every now and then.
- While you’re outside, be mindful of all the living things around you. Appreciating your place in the natural world helps to put your own life and your role in nature into perspective.
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Take some time to be still. Seeing praying mantises everywhere is a powerful sign that it’s time to slow down and reconnect with yourself. Find a quiet place to meditate and think about how you’ve been feeling recently, physically and emotionally. In the busy pace of life, we often forget to just pause and appreciate our surroundings, like the humble praying mantis does.
- Also, take a moment to ask yourself: How do I feel physically and emotionally? Is something stressing me out? Do I need more sleep? Pay attention to your body and your mind.
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Practice patience to help you tackle your problems. More than anything, praying mantises remind us that patience is a virtue, and is often the solution to many of our problems.^{[11]
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Research source} If you find yourself wanting to speed through life, practice patience by pausing, closing your eyes, and breathing deeply to literally slow down your body, which also helps to slow down your mind.
- Remind yourself that your goals and ambitions will still be waiting for you, no matter how long you take to achieve them. It’s better to work slowly and carefully than quickly and thoughtlessly!

Section 4 of 7:

Praying Mantis Dreams

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Dreams of seeing a praying mantis These dreams often symbolize a need for protection or a desire for peace. Your waking life might be turbulent at the moment, and you’re on the lookout for a sort of reprieve. Dreams of seeing a praying mantis may represent that much-needed stillness, and predict quieter times ahead.
- If you dream of seeing a praying mantis, consider your own waking worries, and try to put them in perspective. Ask yourself: will you still be worried about these things in a month? In a year? In five years?
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Dreams of a praying mantis attacking you Praying mantises are formidable foes that will attack animals and insects that are much larger than them. Dreaming of a mantis attacking you might symbolize an external threat in your waking life.^{[12]
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Research source} It could be a person who’s antagonizing you, or a big event just around the corner that’s causing you some anxiety. That anxiety is bleeding into your dreams and causing you some distress.
- If praying mantises are troubling your dreams, ask for help from someone you trust. Let them know what’s troubling your waking life. Some outside perspective often helps us navigate our anxieties.
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Dreams of killing a praying mantis Praying mantises are often regarded as admirable and noble hunters, so dreams of killing them may be a bad omen. It may represent your own guilt over something that you did.^{[13]
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Research source}. You may have said something unkind or slighted someone, and your negative feelings about your actions have come back to trouble your dreams.
- If you dream of killing praying mantises, stop and reflect on how you might have hurt another person recently. Apologize or make amends as soon as you can in order to ease your conscience.

Section 5 of 7:

Praying Mantises in Different Cultures

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Legend has it that Wang Lung, a 17th century Shaolin monk, observed a praying mantis attack its prey one day while studying. Afterwards, he developed a powerful fighting style that imitates the praying mantis’ poise, speed, and grace.^{[14]
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Research source} From there on, many Shaolin practitioners (an offshoot of Buddhism), look to the praying mantis as a powerful role model.
In the Egyptian Book of the Dead, and ancient text, praying mantises are depicted as small, bird-like figures. They were said to accompany the dead along their journey to the afterlife. Ancient Egyptians even created a special hieroglyph to depict the mantis, emphasizing its special place in their religions and spiritual beliefs.^{[15]
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The ancient Greeks thought the mantis had spiritual powers. They believed that praying mantises had special, supernatural knowledge. In fact, the term “mantis” is Greek for “diviner” or “soothsayer.”^{[16]
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Research source} They probably called them “mantises” for the same reason we call them “praying”—because the front legs of these critters look like they’re folded in prayer.
- Many modern-day Christians believe the praying mantis holds special significance for much the same reason—mantises often look lost in prayer.
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The mantis is the supreme god of the African San people. The San have many gods, but their primary deity is “/Kaggen,” a trickster god that created much of the world and appears in many of the San people’s myths. While /Kaggen often appears as a praying mantis, he also takes many other forms, like a hare, snake, a vulture, and even a human.^{[17]
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- Another African nation, the Zulu, refer to the mantis as “the granny” and admire it as a female ancestral spirit. They believe seeing a mantis in your home is a message from your ancestors.^{[18]
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In the beginning of June each year, praying mantises hatch across Japan. They’re called “kamakiri,” which is a word that also describes how a scythe cuts through plants. Since praying mantises hunt many bugs that eat Japanese farmers’ crops, the farmers often welcome them and take them as a sign that their crops are protected and their harvest will be fruitful.^{[19]
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Chinese folktales frequently feature praying mantises, and often regard them with reverence. One tale describes a duke who goes out hunting, and observes a praying mantis striking at the wheel of his wagon. The duke observes the mantis’ determination and ferocity, and praises it for its bravery. Then, he wheels his wagon away from the mantis so as not to crush it, since it earned his respect.^{[20]
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The American West has a number of superstitions and tall tales about praying mantises. Many believed that the mantis’ saliva could blind a human. They also believed that if their horses or mules were to eat a mantis, the saliva would be so potent as to kill the animal. These superstitions gave the mantis the name “the devil’s horse” and “mule killer.”^{[21]
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Mecca is the holy city of the Islamic tradition, where muslims often take pilgrimages. Since praying mantises appear to be holding their hands in prayer, some Islamic cultures believe that praying mantises point their praying hands toward Mecca, guiding pilgrims on their holy journeys.^{[22]
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Section 6 of 7:

Praying Mantis Spirit Animal Traits

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Praying mantises are known to wait for long periods, looking for prey to cross their paths. As they do, they stand still and keep their guard up. That’s why having a mantis as a your spirit animal reflects your sense of patience and willingness to work toward your goals.^{[23]
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Praying mantises stay cool and focused, even in the heat of the hunt. As a spirit or power animal, they lend you that calm and collected demeanor, helping you to stay focused and alert through your day.^{[24]
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Research source} With the mantis as your spirit animal, you know how to block out distractions and keep your eyes on the prize.
Mantises are incredibly keen and perceptive, able to locate their prey with just a twitch of their antennae. As spirit animals, they bring that intuitive touch to everything you do.^{[25]
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Research source} A mantis spirit animal helps you navigate your problems with ease and nuance, and enhances your perception of your surroundings so that you always come through onto the other side unharmed and unbothered.

Section 7 of 7:

Praying Mantis Tattoo Meaning

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Praying mantis tattoos may symbolize creativity or balance. At the end of the day, what a particular tattoo means varies from person to person. People may get mantis tattoos just because they like the look of them, or because it means something specific to them. Sometimes, though, people get mantis tattoos to reflect their own creativity, since mantises come in many shapes and forms.^{[26]
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- Others may get mantis tattoos to symbolize balance, or knowing when to be still and when to act.
- Mantis tattoos may also symbolize patience, intuition, adaptability, or mindfulness.