Cognition?

[GingerC]

I've always wondered about the cognitive abilities of most animals, from dogs to chickens to earthworms, and especially mantids and other insects. In terms of their ability to learn and solve problems, animals such as fish and invertebrates are often either not taken seriously or simply ignored. While I think it's important to be unbiased and avoid anthropomorphism, I think it's foolish to be so conservative as to say that no insect is capable of modifying its behavior.

There are already examples of some of the more well studied insects- bees, roaches, and moths- showing associative cognition in laboratory experiments. Thusly, we can tell that insects are capable of learning and remembering, even if we've only discovered those abilities in the most rudimentary forms in a handful of species. It's also important to note than spiders of the Portia genus exhibit object permanence memory and actively plan ahead to catch prey, so it is not unreasonable to assume that some insects may be capable of similar behaviors.

I've done a bit of digging, but I can't find a single example of cognition experiments in mantids- something that I find surprising, as I think they would be a great subject for such experimentation. This basically means that there is no scientific evidence whatsoever for or against the possibility that mantises are "smart"- well, none that I have come across, anyway.

So, that brings me to my question for you all: what is your opinion on mantis cognition? Do you have any anecdotes about them to share, or at least some relevant articles to link?

I'm quite fond of my mantis, but I have literally no clue as to what might be going on in her brain... or brains, since insects don't really have a central nervous system.

 

[Jessie]

The way it looked at me when we met,its body language. I have no doubt their smart.

 

[crabbypatty]

Well a lot of my mantids know when they're about to receive food, some I'll let hunt but others I hand feed. None of my mantids perceive me as a threat, they'll get spooked if I suddenly put my camera near them or something but never of me. I think they've learned that their food comes to them, and that I won't hurt them. My Hierodula Membranacea is my absolute favorite, he always puts his raptors up to be held and he just hangs on to me. He's "watched" TV with me too, I think the moving things keep him interested. It would be interesting to know what goes on in that bug "brain."

 

[Zeppy44]

I would be hard pressed to imagine this has not been studied in depth. Finding the published literature may be the real problem.

Many do seem to recognize my presence for feeding. Other forum members have mentioned what appears to be learned behavior.

 

[Serle]

Food is an xlnt motivator , I have seen studies of repetition at feeding times and all subjects have become conditioned to the response.

My mantids rebel when it is time to return to their apt's..... S

 

[Mystymantis]

Yes, I agree, finding the literature is most likely the problem. Because praying mantises are large and easy to use they have been used in many different settings for experiments in animal behavior and the like. There are studies that have been done with mantises, but more relating to behavior and things like that.  You just have to know where to look and be able to find the articles since they are scholarly/scientific or academic journals and might  not be available readily, as in from journals where you have to pay to get access. 

I definitely am of the opinion that mantises are very smart. When a mantis looks up at you with that cute face I certainly like to think they are smart.

 

[Thrillhouse]

I sometimes can't tell if they're smart or if it's just a natural response. Or if I'm just anthropomorphizing them by attributing what I see as human behavior.

My mantises sit in jars on a table beneath a bunch of hanging art, and one night one of them fell, bounced off the top of one of the jars, and knocked it off the table. When I ran over to check, fearing the worst, the mantis was on the floor, looking up at me with his little raptors out clawing towards me. When I kneeled down and held out my hand he quickly grabbed on and jumped up, then walked onto my palm and looked down at the jar. He seemed to understand what had just happened, and looked to me for safety, or it definitely felt that way.

It was kind of a surreal moment.

 

[crabbypatty]

@Thrillhouse aww that's cute

 

[MantisRCool]

Well they are smarter than some people lol  no but seriously I'd like to know more about how their little brains work, why isn't there info about that? 

 

[GayJerk]

I definitely think they are intelligent, after owning them I don't feel as if I can deny them of that.

 

[Zeppy44]

I guess not having a central nervous system makes me wonder if they can even be called intelligent?        Are their actions just reaction to external stimuli?

It may just be my newness having mantis in my care but the fact they do react to my presence does feel good.  Haha, fish only did that at feeding time mostly.

Well they are smarter than some people lol  no but seriously I'd like to know more about how their little brains work, why isn't there info about that? 

There may be college papers written by future entomologist that we will never see. Also, not being a pollinator or devastating to crops, or an invasive house pest, how many sponsored studies will be done, research grants given?

If anyone finds any information on this subject I would sure be interested!

 

[GingerC]

I guess not having a central nervous system makes me wonder if they can even be called intelligent?        Are their actions just reaction to external stimuli?

It may just be my newness having mantis in my care but the fact they do react to my presence does feel good.  Haha, fish only did that at feeding time mostly.

There may be college papers written by future entomologist that we will never see. Also, not being a pollinator or devastating to crops, or an invasive house pest, how many sponsored studies will be done, research grants given?

If anyone finds any information on this subject I would sure be interested!

Well, to be fair, aren't all of our actions just reactions to external stimuli? It's a pretty vague way of describing things.

Anyway, just because an organisms' nervous system is structured differently from a human's does not exclude the possibility of having similar functions. An octopus is an invertebrate with a brain shaped a bit like a donut, but they can learn to associate certain stimuli with the presence of food, as well as open jars and escape from aquariums. Cuttlefish have also been taught to navigate mazes, much like a mouse or rat. While these animals are certainly cognizant, this does not make them directly comparable to humans in all aspects of their cognition. Still pretty cool, though.

(I hope it doesn't seem like I'm ranting at you. Because I'm not. :S)

 

[Zeppy44]

Not a problem. I enjoy a good discussion. I have briefly kept octopi and if I ever got into salt water I would keep cuttlefish and study them. Imagine what it would be like to understand the information the color displays mean.

 My comment about nervous system was not to fault any one system over another. Rather to point out possibilities. Meaning the less developed system will have less capability. Example would be the trigger hairs on the back of house flies. Change in air pressure causes the hairs to vibrate causing signal to the wings to fly. No thought just reaction to stimulus.

Sure some of our actions are just reactions to external stimuli. Ever accidently burn your self? No thought needed there for the reaction. It is immediate and uncontrolled. If you had to think and respond to the pain it could be so much worse. Maybe controlled response is one mark of intelligence? --------LOL--I do not mean to imply keeping your hand on the red hot pan or in the fire is a mark of intelligence.

When I see a mantis snap up a stunned fly the landed next to where she is sitting, I think reflex. But when I see a mantis see a fly  take a step  turn head to judge distance  take another step, etc. to fly, I have to think something else is involved besides reflex. But then maybe I am thinking too deeply here? 

 

[Sticky]

Try using a mirror. My mantids have never thrown a threat display at it. I think they know they are seeing themself.

Animals like monkeys attack the mirror, but higher animals like apes, dolphins and some others know they are seeing themself. I bet we could add mantids to that category!

 

[izbiggs]

I find that when I first get mantises, they're afraid and apprehensive of the tweezers I use to feed. But after a couple of feedings, the see the tweezers and snatch the prey from it no problem. Also, if I get near their cage, they reach out their arms and when I open the lid they reach out their arms to crawl on me. They'll spend a long time swaying back and forth and looking at my face. I feel that they are quite intelligent for that reason 

 

[Tehshlendo]

They're definitely intelligent but I'm not certain on cognizant though, but it's possible.  I think a lot of what's difficult or at least what I think about a lot is how much easier it is for the human mind to attribute characteristics to something that we relate to easier.  With a mantis, it has two arms with similar functions to ours, two eyes (well more than that but the obvious ones at least), and a more upright posture compared to other insects. It'd be cool if it was possible to develop more tests that might be able to detect if a mantis is aware of itself. Mirror test would certainly be cool but a lot of scientist don't know how effective it might be for all animals due to differences in how animals process images in their brain and other animals that rely less on vision and more on smell.  Also a traditional mirror test usually involves sedating the subject and marking the skin or fur and when presented in front of the mirror seeing if they try to clean themselves on the marked area.  It's definitely telling that they don't do a threat response though, might warrant looking into more.

 

[Zeppy44]

Try using a mirror. My mantids have never thrown a threat display at it. I think they know they are seeing themself.

Animals like monkeys attack the mirror, but higher animals like apes, dolphins and some others know they are seeing themself. I bet we could add mantids to that category!

A while back I saw a documentary about animals and big mirror.  Most striking was watching the elephant figure out it was the reflection. And how it acted when it knew.

 

[cwebster]

We have had treefrogs and pigeons who seem to pass the mirror test. I have no doubt bybthe way Minty would greet me at night outside before i brought him inside due to cold weather that he was intelligent on some level. Will keep on the lookout for papers and with the next round of mantids, will watch for signs of intelligence. I have seen and have read that creatures who move around are much smarter than sit and wait predators, e.g., pacific treefrogs vs pacman frogs, or jumping spiders vs orb weavers. 

 

[Sticky]

A while back I saw a documentary about animals and big mirror.  Most striking was watching the elephant figure out it was the reflection. And how it acted when it knew.

Do you remember the name of the documentary?