Back to photostream

Headless mating

Praying mantis pair(Stagmatoptera biocellata)Males of some mantid species mate more effectively when decapitated. Why? A nerve center in the male's head inhibits mating until a female is clasped. If this nerve is removed, such as when the female bites off the male's head, all control is lost and the result is repeated copulation.

785 views
59 faves
24 comments
Uploaded on December 10, 2025