Overview

• Cornwall Wildlife Trust verified two European praying mantis sightings in separate gardens near Truro and Mousehole this week.
• Experts say the insects may have arrived on strong winds or by accidental transport in luggage, with escape from captivity considered less likely.
• There is no confirmed breeding population on mainland Britain, although populations are established on the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands.
• Entomologists describe the species as moving north with a warming climate and note previous sporadic records in Oxford, Stratford, Warwickshire and the New Forest.
• The Royal Entomological Society is asking people to submit records, including via iNaturalist, to assess whether conditions in Cornwall could support establishment.