Carnivorous praying mantis insects have been spotted in the wild in the UK this summer again.
This is a very rare sight that far north in Europe, as this species is not native to the UK and normally thrives in very warm conditions only.
In this instance, the specimen caught was an adolescent male.
The past year, several adult mantises were spotted in a garden in south Oxfordshire along with a nymph -a young mantis-. This is believed to be the first known instance of breeding in the wild in the UK for this species.
Scientists believe that climate change is playing a part in the spread of this species northwards, and that it’s only a matter of time before praying mantises are seen in Ireland.
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