A new stick insect has been identified for the first time in mainland England after likely being ‘blown over’ from Europe.
Praying mantises, named for their front legs, which look like hands praying, were found in gardens in Cornwall.
The Cornwall Wildlife Trust said the unique insects likely blew over or were transported in someone’s luggage from mainland Europe.
Though the insects have been spotted in the Channel Islands and Isle of Wight, this is the first time a breeding population has been found in mainland England.
‘It seems it’s only a matter of time before they colonise mainland Britain,’ the Cornwall Wildlife Trust joked.
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The European variety of praying mantis measures to about three inches long and eats crickets and flies.
‘It is native to southern Europe but appears to be moving north. It’s considered a ‘climate migrant’,’ the charity said.
Dr Luke Tilley, from the Royal Entomological Society, told The Independent: ‘Praying mantises are charismatic, unmistakable insects, and their appearance in Cornwall is fascinating, a new animal to be spotted in the UK.
‘At the moment, these are just sightings, not confirmed breeding populations, but they remind us how insects respond quickly to changes in climate and land use. Insects come in all shapes and sizes, and are superb indicators of environmental change.’
Praying mantises do eat honey bees, but they are generalist ambush predators that eat a variety of insects and are frequently observed near beehives to capture foraging bees.
While they don’t depopulate hives, they are a natural predator that can consume beneficial insects like bees, along with many pest species.
Locals in Cornwall said mantises had been living there for years.
One said: ‘There’s a site near Falmouth, which is very secure and which I won’t name, where this species has been doing well for at least seven years, which is when I first noticed them.’
Another added: ‘I’ve seen two in my St Agnes garden since January.’
Though the mantises are harmless, they are the latest in a series of exotic insect invaders.
Asian hornets, which can decimate hives, are already established in the Channel Islands and are trying to colonise the UK.
And earlier this year, an Egyptian locust was also found in Britain.