MinuteEarth

Why Do Only Females Eat Their Mates? (2025x22)

Air date: Dec 04, 2025

In the middle of baby-making, a female praying mantis will sometimes chomp down on a male’s head, then devour him as she finishes mating with him. And mantises aren’t alone; many different species lunch on their lovers. But one thing is remarkably consistent: it’s almost always the females doing the eating. Why is it dudes that always end up as dinner?