General

The question of whether praying mantises feel pain is part of a broader scientific discussion about the capacity of invertebrates to experience pain in ways similar to vertebrates. Pain, as understood in vertebrates, is often classified into two categories: nociception and the subjective experience of pain. Nociception refers to the nervous system’s response to harmful stimuli, while the subjective experience of pain is an emotional and psychological state that often requires a more complex nervous system to process. Praying mantises, being invertebrates, have a simpler nervous system compared to vertebrates, which raises the question of whether they can experience these two types of pain.

The question of whether praying mantises feel pain is part of a broader scientific discussion about the capacity of invertebrates to experience pain in ways similar to vertebrates. Pain, as understood in vertebrates, is often classified into two categories: nociception and the subjective experience of pain. Nociception refers to the nervous system’s response to harmful stimuli, while the subjective experience of pain is an emotional and psychological state that often requires a more complex nervous system to process. Praying mantises, being invertebrates, have a simpler nervous system compared to vertebrates, which raises the question of whether they can experience these two types of pain.

Research into invertebrate nociception suggests that many invertebrates, including insects, possess nociceptors/neurons that detect harmful stimuli such as extreme heat, cold, or mechanical damage. When activated, these nociceptors can trigger defensive behaviors such as escape, withdrawal, or other forms of evasion. Praying mantises, like other insects, have been observed engaging in such defensive behaviors, indicating they likely possess basic nociceptive mechanisms. However, whether this means they feel pain in the same way humans or other vertebrates do is a different matter.

The key distinction here is between the simple nociceptive response and the conscious experience of pain. Nociception does not necessarily imply that an organism "feels" pain in a conscious, emotional sense; rather, it means the organism is reacting to stimuli that could cause harm. In vertebrates, the brain plays a central role in integrating nociceptive signals into the conscious experience of pain. Insects like the praying mantis lack a brain structure comparable to the vertebrate cortex, which is associated with higher-order processing and the conscious perception of pain.

Psychological Pain in Praying Mantises

Although research on pain perception in invertebrates is sparse, one study explored the possibility of psychological pain in praying mantises. This experiment showed that praying mantises could distinguish between rewarded and non-rewarded stimuli, which suggests some level of learning and behavioral flexibility. The study argued that this ability might indicate a form of psychological pain or distress when the insect fails to receive an expected reward, implying that mantises could have basic systems in place to process negative experiences beyond simple reflexes (Caison et al., 2017).

While this study provides a glimpse into the emotional capacity of praying mantises, it does not conclusively prove that they experience pain as we understand it. Psychological pain, as discussed in the study, refers to a response to unmet expectations or frustration, which may differ significantly from physical pain experienced due to injury.

The Complexity of Pain in Invertebrates

Many researchers remain cautious about attributing pain-like experiences to invertebrates such as the praying mantis. Pain, as a subjective experience, likely requires more advanced neural circuitry than what insects possess. A praying mantis has a decentralized nervous system, with ganglia (clusters of neurons) distributed throughout its body, and its responses to harmful stimuli appear to be more reflexive than consciously mediated.

It is also important to consider that the experience of pain as a complex emotional state requires self-awareness and the ability to reflect on that pain, capacities that are generally believed to be absent in insects. This is not to say that praying mantises do not have sophisticated behavior—many insects exhibit highly adaptive responses to environmental challenges—but their behavioral responses do not necessarily indicate the presence of conscious pain experiences.

While praying mantises likely have the ability to detect harmful stimuli through nociception, there is no conclusive evidence that they feel pain in the emotional or psychological sense experienced by vertebrates. Current studies, such as the one exploring psychological pain in mantises (Caison et al., 2017), hint at complex behavior, but more research is required to determine whether they can experience pain as humans or other animals do. Until then, the question of whether praying mantises feel pain remains open, with the prevailing view being that their nervous systems are likely too simple to support the subjective experience of pain.

Thanks for reading!

Jenna