17/10/2025
Healthy boundaries...
These airborne cues help males locate receptive females, often from considerable distances. Once a male approaches and attempts to mate, the female may engage in sexual cannibalism, biting off his head, limbs, or consuming him entirely either during or after copulation.
This behavior has been documented in species like Tenodera sinensis (Chinese mantis) and Mantis religiosa (European mantis). According to ThoughtCo, the male’s nervous system allows mating to continue even after decapitation, ensuring s***m transfer despite the fatal outcome.
However, cannibalism doesn’t happen in every encounter. Studies show it’s more likely when the female is hungry, stressed, or underfed, and less common in the wild than in captivity. As AnimalWised explains, consuming the male provides valuable nutrients that can enhance egg production, making it a brutal but biologically strategic act.