Praying mantis species spotted in Cornwall

A green European praying mantis is perched on green leaves and a stick. It appears to be looking underneath one of the leaves. It is a light green colour. The leaves are dark green.Image source, Cornwall Wildlife Trust/Terry Markham
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Cornwall Wildlife Trust said two sightings of European praying mantises had been recorded in the county

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There have been sightings of praying mantises in the wild in parts of south west England for the first time.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust (CWT) said two separate sightings of the European praying mantis had been recorded in gardens near Truro and Mousehole.

It said the sightings of the insects which are about 3in (7.62cm) and native to southern Europe, were the first recorded in Cornwall.

The charity said it believed the mantises might have been blown over to Cornwall on strong winds or "hitchhiked" in someone's luggage.

CWT added it could be possible the insects had escaped from a pet collection, but thought this was unlikely as the mantises were spotted in two different locations and nobody had come forward to claim them.

A European praying mantis  sits on a white wooden bench table. The insect is a light green colour with yellow tips to the end of its front legs.Image source, Cornwall Wildlife Trust/Claire Henderson
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European praying mantises have previously been spotted in Oxford and Stratford

European praying mantises, which eat a variety of insects such as crickets and flies, have breeding populations on the Isle of Wight and Channel Islands, CWT said.

The trust said it appeared the non-venomous species was moving north and could be considered a "climate migrant" due to rising temperatures.

CWT said it seemed like it was "only a matter of time" before more colonies arrived in mainland UK.

In 2021, the Herefordshire Biological Records Centre said a praying mantis was spotted in a garden in Oxford.

In the same year, another praying mantis was spotted in a plant nursery in Stratford.

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