Hot weather may be impacting mantis numbers

Recent hot weather may be having an impact on European mantis numbers in the island, experts have said.

The European mantis can be found across central Europe with Jersey at the northern edge of its range.

Scientists have predicted more could be seen in the British Isles in the face of climate change, with a rise in sightings in recent years.

According to the Jersey Biodiversity Centre, the "unprecedented heatwaves" may have "accelerated this expansion with more individuals coming over from France", but they said "more information is needed to draw concrete conclusions".

A spokesperson for the Jersey Biodiversity Centre said there have been "several sightings of European mantis this year, some shared on Facebook and some recorded with the Jersey Biodiversity Centre".

They added that as with most wildlife encounters, "spotting a European mantis is down to chance" but most sightings "have been reported along the south coast, mostly concentrated between St Helier and Le Hocq".

The group noted it was "difficult to draw conclusions" around the current numbers as it was "still European mantis season and records are still incoming".

Sightings can be shared via its website, helping to build an understanding of "whether there has been an increase in sightings, where those sightings are occurring, and make data available to scientists to investigate further".

European mantises range in colour, with different shades of yellow, brown, green, and sometimes black.

They also have a distinct dark spot ringed in white with a hint of yellow or back on the inside of the base of their foreleg, which can be used to identify them.

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