Wiesbaden (dpa/lhe) - It is up to seven and a half centimeters tall, can take on different colors and is also becoming increasingly common in Hesse: the European praying mantis. In order to find out more about the fascinating insect, the Hessian State Agency for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology (HLNUG) calls on citizens to report sightings of the mantis. In 2006, an occurrence was first detected on the Bergstraße near the ruins of Starkenburg in Heppenheim, the HLNUG announced on Monday in Wiesbaden.
In the summer of 2021, with a total of 107 verified reports, there were about as many finds of the praying mantis as in the previous year. "The insect seems to feel at home in large parts of southern Hesse and is becoming more and more established," explained the HLNUG. The dry and warm summer weather is extremely favorable for the praying mantis and her offspring.
Mostly greenish in colour, but often also brownish to straw-colored, the silent hunter often remains on blades of grass or plant bushes and then strikes with his tentacles at six times the speed of opening his eyes. Flies and wasps are on the menu.
"In the past few decades, the praying mantis has continuously expanded its territory to the north," said the HLNUG. Citizens can report sightings of the praying mantis online - ideally with a photo as proof.
