New Evidence Confirms the Status of the Giant Asian Mantis in Europe
These mantises are increasingly threatening local biodiversity through aggressive predation and reproductive competition.
blog.pensoft.netHere’s a brief update on the latest about harmful mantis species in Europe, with citations to recent reporting.
Direct answer
- Recent studies and press coverage ( Feb–Apr 2026 ) identify two Asian mantis species, Hierodula tenuidentata and Hierodula patellifera, as invasive in Europe and assess their ecological threats as significant. These findings describe expanded distributions across Mediterranean and continental Europe, potential impacts on native mantises, pollinators, and small vertebrates, and emphasize the need for monitoring and public involvement in control efforts. Several outlets summarize these results as a concerning spread of large, predatory mantises beyond their native range in Asia.[2][3][4][5]
Background and context
- What makes them harmful: the research highlights increased predation pressure on native insects, risk to pollinators like honeybees, and aggressive interactions that can depress native mantis populations via lethal mating dynamics, creating potential cascading effects in ecosystems. The reports stress that these species have become established enough to warrant formal IAS (invasive alien species) status in parts of Europe.[4][2]
- Geographic scope: Italy, France, and other parts of southern and central Europe are repeatedly cited as areas with established or rapidly expanding populations, with northward and inland movements noted in some sources. Other summaries mention the Mediterranean basin as a hotspot for invasion and spread into additional regions.[3][6][8]
Illustrative note
- Practical citizen science and management ideas are being discussed, including targeted removal of oothecae (egg cases) during winter in some reports, though experts caution that accurate species identification is crucial to avoid harming native mantises.[2][4]
If you’d like, I can compile a concise, source-linked briefing tailored to your location in Copenhagen (how relevant these European findings might be for northern Europe, and any implications for local biodiversity monitoring). I can also set up a quick map of reported European occurrences and provide recommended citizen-science steps for reporting sightings.