The European praying mantis is being sighted more and more frequently in North Rhine-Westphalia. The heat-loving insect has even been discovered in the busy Cologne city area, near the cathedral.
The European praying mantis is being sighted more and more frequently in North Rhine-Westphalia. Recent observations show that the heat-loving insect, which actually comes from the Mediterranean region, is now also becoming native to Cologne.
As the NABU reported in response to a query from t-online, numerous reports of sightings of the European praying mantis in the Cologne city area have already been received. “We were even informed of an animal that was seen in a tent pole on the cathedral square on NRW Day,” says Birgit Röttering from the NABU Cologne city association. Citizens can report sightings of the insects, as well as other animals, via the naturgucker.de website.
In Europe, the praying mantis’ main distribution area is in the Mediterranean region. However, as average temperatures rise, the insect is continually migrating northwards. A particularly large number of reports are now coming from the southwest of North Rhine-Westphalia, especially from the Lower Rhine Bay. From here, the species is spreading further towards the Ruhr region and the valleys of the Rhenish Slate Mountains.
The European praying mantis belongs to the species of mantis. It owes its name to its two tentacles, which resemble hands raised in prayer and can strike with lightning speed to catch prey such as grasshoppers or flies. These insects prefer dry, warm grass and bush landscapes and require a sufficient supply of food.
