Praying mantis breeding could be UK mainland first

The discovery of a species of praying mantis nymphs could be the first evidence of the insects breeding on the UK mainland, according to a wildlife trust.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust said 10 European praying mantis nymphs were recorded at Truro School, which David McKeown, the school's head of boarding, said was a "remarkable and very surprising" find.

Laura Fox, data and evidence officer at Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said no other species of mantis had been established in the county or the rest of the UK.

"As global temperatures continue to rise, we can expect more exotic species to arrive in the UK from southern Europe," Fox added.

The trust said the discovery was made by McKeown's 18-year old son, Olly, who spotted them near an open window on the school site.

"My son, Olly, deserves all the credit for this discovery," McKeown said. "When he first told me he had seen baby praying mantises, I thought he must have been mistaken, as I had no idea they could be found in the UK.

"I know that our biology department and boarding students will be excited by the discovery, and it feels very special that the Truro School grounds could provide the first evidence of praying mantises breeding in Cornwall."

The trust said the species were about 7.6cm (3in) in length and were traditionally native to southern Europe.

It said the record generated excitement among wildlife recorders and further investigations were ongoing to locate the egg case, known as an ootheca, from which the nymphs emerged.

Praying mantis are carnivorous and eat a variety of insects such as crickets and flies, it added.

They have breeding populations on the Isle of Wight and Channel Islands, but have not previously been recorded breeding on the UK mainland, the trust said.

It said they were first spotted in Cornwall in September last year, and are believed to be moving north due to rising temperatures.

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