Escaped mantis vs Environmental damage

[captainmerkin]

I recently had someones friend over in a rather drunk state who works with bacterial cleansing and evaluation for the british government, in his drunkard state he got convinced that there could be issues with escaping mantis causing an environmental impact in the UK.

Now my main debate was this:

Escaping mantis cannot survive the uk winter -10 degrees C on occasion but most likely around +2 c to - 5 c

No breeding partners

Inability to hunt due to lower temps after summer months

lack of food after summer months, lots of invertibrates tend to vanish in the uk between october - march

now lets take his argument:

warmer climate as things stand currently (im not convinced thats it will be high enough in near future to support mantis)

possible other escapees to breed with ( well possibly but in brixton hardly likely)

invertabrates ability to survive drastic climate and environmental changes ( possibly )

your thoughts?

 

[Rob Byatt]

I see both points of view and we should all be careful to reduce the risk of escapees, but the British summertime is no long enough for most species to mature, even Tenodera aridofolia would struggle to mature in time. As you said, the winter would kill of most individuals.

 

[edash]

What about species which could go into diapause in cold months? I know Empusa pennata does, do any others?

Though, with -10oC, they wouldn't survive that

 

[Asa]

If one does escape, it is usually only drastic if it is a rare species. Otherwise, in the UK, it won't survive the winter.

 

[OGIGA]

If a mated adult female escaped, I can see a potential problem. I don't know what kind of ootheca survives -10c but it might be possible.

As far as environmental impact, I'm really clueless. I don't really know how that works. Yeah, maybe someone can explain.

 

[Asa]

If a mated adult female escaped, I can see a potential problem. I don't know what kind of ootheca survives -10c but it might be possible.As far as environmental impact, I'm really clueless. I don't really know how that works. Yeah, maybe someone can explain.

Ohh, I didn't consider that. Still, it would have to be a pretty hardy ooth to survive that! One of the reasons I wouldn't want to live in the UK, it's too cold.

 

[Hypoponera]

The winter temps are not a real problem for many common US species. How cold does it get in New York or Chicago during the winter? I don't recall RAF Upper Hayford being nearly as cold as Chicago!!

I remember winter In central Ohio getting cold enough to weaken weld beads on dozer blades!! And yet, the Chinese, European and Stegmomantis all seem to survive in the ootheca. Doesn't the Chinese mantid range into Southern Canada? I know L. minor reaches Southern Canada.

 

[Asa]

Well, I guess that settles it. Do not let your mantis escape on pain of death!

 

[OGIGA]

But I still want to know how it affects the environment... I mean, do they eat everything?

 

[Hypoponera]

I don't think a population of mantids would eat everything. In fact, I doubt there would be any really notable environmental damage. We have had several species introduced into the US with little or no real problems. I don't think there is any evidence that the introduced species have pushed out any of the native mantids or driven other species into local extinction.

 

[Asa]

There are cases where this has happened. Not in the US but in places like India.

 

[Hypoponera]

That is true. In the US, both the Black and the Red imported fire ants have caused serious environmental damage. They have eliminated native ants from huge areas. Likewise, in California, Argintine ants have devastated local ant species!

But I don't think any species of mantid would be capable of causing nearly as much damage! But I still wouldn't recommend intentional release.

 

[markdneck]

Most species of ants fight with other similar colonies over territory and keep their numbers dowen that way but I have heard that the Agentines (Iridomyrmex humilis) all have the same DNA, all originated from one queen and so they sort of buddy up. Where I live, Irvine in the "OC" they have eliminated all native ants including big red ants many times their size. They live deep underground, under all of our homes and any lax housekeeping results in an immediate invasion of seemingly millions of ants. One tiny spec of pet food or candy dropped by a child means ants invading through electerical sockets, plumbing fixtures, under doors. At least fireants don't come inside.

If we could develop and patent a mantid that ate Argentines, we'd get rich in a hurry!

 

[Hypoponera]

If you could come up with ANYTHING effective on Argies, you would be rich!!

 

[Asa]

Very, very, very rich.

 

[athicks]

Yeah, mantids do not seem to have the capability to do too much environmental damage. I mean, unlike ants they don't compete with colonies for territory, and they don't terraform. They are such solitary insects that the impact would be minimal. And, they would not survive the winter or find a mate. But it is still unethical and illegal to do something like that.

 

[Asa]

Very unethical. No worry here though, wouldn't want to lose any of my precious mantids

 

[OGIGA]

Okay okay, now I know what releasing non-native insects do.

 

[Asa]

Had your fill, huh? :lol: