EXPLORING NATURE: PITY THE POOR MALE

Male Sometimes in nature, the male species gets the short end of the stick.

For example, consider the mating of praying mantises. During copulation, or shortly after, the female will often bite off the head of the male. And it sometimes takes a second or two for the male to realize he is dead — he keeps on pumping away.

The female will often eat all of the male; he is a rich source of protein.