First discovery of a praying mantis in Haßberge: students excited!

First discovery of a praying mantis in Haßberge: students excited!

On October 1, 2025, an exciting excursion for the 5th graders of the Hofheim Nature Park School took place, during which the students discovered the first praying mantis in the Haßberge district. Organized by the teachers Ms. Schimmer, Ms. Behr and Lisa Flachsenberger as well as the nature park ranger Arno Ludwig, the children went on an exploratory tour through a 30-year-old, protected orchard. Here they not only learned a lot about the ecological significance of the karst spring “Große Quelle”, but also got to know the biodiversity of the flora and fauna better with the help of cup magnifying glasses.

The return with the discovery of the praying mantis, which was ceremoniously christened “Maria”, caused great joy among the students. This discovery is particularly remarkable because the Mantis religiosa, the scientific name for the praying mantis, is the only species of mantis in Central Europe and is considered endangered in Germany. The find illustrates the special importance of the orchard as a habitat for these fascinating insects, which are protected by the Federal Nature Conservation Act.

Lifestyle and characteristics of the praying mantis

The European praying mantis can grow up to 80 mm long and impresses with its striking appearance with an elongated pronotum and a large, movable head. It is able to fly and is characterized by its amazing hunting behavior, where it only pursues grasshoppers, crickets and forest cockroaches as prey. This often occurs with a dexterity that is only made possible by their specialized claw legs, which are covered in thorns.

But there are not only moments of happiness in their lives: the praying mantis shows extraordinary reproductive behavior in which males are eaten by females after mating in up to 30% of cases - this is called sexual cannibalism. After mating, the female lays between 200 and 300 eggs in a protective, foamy ootheca. The nymphs then hatch in May or June and go through several molts until they are sexually mature.

Dissemination and protection

The European praying mantis originally comes from Africa and has spread across the Mediterranean to other parts of the world. In Germany, stable populations can be found particularly in the federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse and Saarland. The warmer climate has favored the spread of the species to northern regions of Germany. At the same time, citizen science projects support the documentation and protection of these fascinating animals, which the students were introduced to through their discovery.

The discovery of “Maria” will certainly not be the last visit to the orchard, as the Nature Park School classes plan to visit and further explore this habitat at any time of the year. The first discovery of a praying mantis in the Haßberge district is not only a great success for the students, but also a sign of how important active nature conservation projects and education in the environment are.

For more information about the praying mantis and its lifestyle click here: in and around Schweinfurt, Wikipedia (en).