Major Contribution: Protecting plant life by preying on insects.

The praying mantis may be the best exterminators in your garden. As far as insects go, they are super predators, capable of killing most insects, big or small. They are also indiscriminate regarding their prey, and help gardeners by hunting the most bothersome bugs.

Without the praying mantis, insects would overrun the garden. Gardeners intentionally raise praying mantises and hatch them in the garden, allowing the bugs to spend their entire life controlling the insect population.