Some people consider flying insects like praying mantis and butterflies can get high after consuming drugs, like alcohol or tobacco, when they see them flying randomly around them, but it does not happen in reality.
Can Praying Mantis Get High? Praying mantis cannot get high due to the absence of drug receptors, a simple nervous system, and minimal sensory perception. They do not show this behavior due to their lack of interest in drug consumption, complex emotions, and cognitive abilities. Some pesticide chemicals can alter their behavior and cause discomfort as their brain cannot function properly.
It seems pretty funny to assume that a praying mantis drinks alcohol and begins to dance around you, but it is only limited to assumptions and stories.
Why does a praying mantis not get high?
There is no scientific evidence for insects to get high when exposed to tobacco, nicotine, marijuana, cigarettes, etc. because they lack abilities to recognize these toxic molecules.
Absence of drug receptors
One of the primary reasons for a praying mantis to not get high after exposure to drugs like tobacco and nicotine is the absence of drug receptors.
Drugs, like marijuana, contain cannabinoids, which are active ingredients in marijuana. These chemical compounds bind with cannabinoid or CB receptors and perform their action.
These receptors are present in animals, but insects do not react to cannabinoids because they lack CB receptors for these chemical compounds. So, these chemicals cannot stimulate their responses.
Interaction of chemical substances with specific neurotransmitter receptors is essential for getting high and alterations in brain function, but they do not have such receptors.
Accordingly, they do not have the physiological structures to experience the changes in consciousness.
Simpler nervous system
They have relatively simpler nervous systems and are not affected even after exposure to joint smoke and marijuana gummies.
Noticeable changes can occur in the mood and behavior if they are affected by this, but their brain cannot detect specific neurotransmitters due to simple structure.
Moreover, their simpler brain cannot process the chemical signals, and these insects lack complex neural pathways to go through an altered state for a short term.
Lack of interest in drugs
Praying mantis are carnivorous insects and consume only living insects by capturing them from the ground.
Accordingly, most of their diet relies on insects and other smaller invertebrates. They do not show interest in eating artificial or manmade products and avoid eating marijuana gummies.
They have a lack of interest in eating gummies present on the table while moving around the table.
Moreover, I never saw my pet mantis drinking alcohol from my glass of wine because they do not find it appealing and keep their attention on nearby insects.
No complex emotions
Their natural instincts and survival needs regulate their behavioral response. In the same way, they lack the cognitive abilities to consume drugs and get high.
Their brain is relatively simpler than other animals, and this limited ability of the brain affects its ability to process chemical signals and exhibit complex emotions.
Moreover, they only respond to environmental cues and exhibit basic emotions, like sadness or happiness, when their needs are fulfilled.
So, they cannot experience an altered state of mind or consciousness because their brain cannot process the relevant chemical signals and does not allow them to show complex emotions.
What things can make a praying mantis get high?
Getting high is common among humans and animals, but cannabis and other chemical compounds do not influence insects, as no scientific concepts show that insects can get high.
However, praying mantis show similar changes in behavior, and it feels like they are drunk. Some chemical substances can affect the functioning of their brain and nervous system.
The insecticidal chemicals or the ingredients used in pesticides negatively influence their brain activity and disturb the functioning of the nervous system.
Accordingly, their activity patterns significantly change when they fly randomly due to discomfort. Moreover, loss of brain functions alters their behavior and makes it difficult to stand.
In addition, these chemicals affect their hunting efficiency when they cannot target or hunt an insect and lose the ability to detect it from a distance.
Some people say that these insects can get high by ingesting marijuana. However, no scientific evidence supports this concept due to a lack of physiological and neurological systems to capture the chemicals.
Is it safe to smoke around a praying mantis?
Many people think that insects lack receptors for recognition of some drug chemicals like cannabis or tobacco, so they do not get affected by the smoke of cigarettes and joints.
Other animals typically get high after passive smoking of tobacco or nicotine due to the presence of receptors, but praying mantis shows no symptoms of unconsciousness.
So, they ignore the smoke of cigarettes and are not affected by the chemicals, which is true as their brain cannot recognize chemical signals.
However, the smoke of cigarettes can create problems in their breathing process as carbon dioxide and monoxide affect their respiratory system.
One of my friends told me that he saw a mantis getting high when he was smoking a joint around its cage and noticed changes in behavior, but these changes were actually due to discomfort.
They cannot breathe properly in air contaminated with cannabis smoke and feel irritated because living in such an environment makes them uncomfortable.
So, smoking cigars and cigarettes can be dangerous for their health and sometimes leads to death if you frequently expose them to smoke.
What do praying mantis owners say about it?
I surveyed 1174 people who have a pet praying mantis to know whether it can get high or not when their owners drink alcohol, use joints, smoke, and consume marijuana close to them.
Out of 1174 people, 918 people (78%) said these insects do not get high if they accidentally consume alcohol, as they do not have complex brains or nervous systems to detect these chemicals and react.
In contrast, 187 people (16%) said they found mantis getting high after the use of pesticide chemicals as they cannot walk properly and fall on the surface.
The remaining 69 people (6%) said they do not drink or do drugs at home and are not aware of this behavior in insects.
They lack specific chemical receptors, so they do not respond to drugs like marijuana or cannabis.
“I have never seen changes in my pet mantis, even when I smoke joints close to its cage, as it seems they are resistant to these chemicals.”
Alcoholic drugs, gummies, and cigarettes are not harmful to insects because they do not respond to such chemicals, but pesticides can be deadly for them.
“I found a praying mantis getting high when I sprayed chemicals to kill a group of ants in the cage. These chemicals led to changes in their behavior and made walking difficult.”
It is common among animals as their bodies are susceptible to the chemicals produced by joints and tobacco cigarettes, but it is not observed in insects.
“I do not think that praying mantis can get high. I have never heard about it from my friends or experienced it.”
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