Sightings of praying mantises and 'hair curler slug' are firsts for county

SIGHTINGS of praying mantises in Cornish gardens mark the first records of the species living in the county.

- by ANDY GREENWOOD

One of the firsts praying mantises recorded in Cornwall and, below, the 'hair curler slug' discovered by Charlotte Cumming on the Helford. Both are firsts for Cornwall and could be signs of a warming climate

(Terry Markham/Charlotte Cumming)

As temperatures rise, the Cornwall Wildlife Trust says it is “only a matter of time” before the insect, already present on the Isle of Wight and Channel Islands, colonises mainland Britain.

The mantises were reported in gardens in Truro and Mousehole and photographed by Terry Markham and Claire Henderson.

It is not known how exactly the insects arrived in the county but the trust said it could be due to strong winds or the insects ‘hitchhiking’ in someone's luggage.