# Praying Mantis vs. Hummingbird **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 7, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992 "2005-08-07T15:18:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/1 "2005-08-07T15:18:11Z")
Praying mantis wins (Not too graphic, unless you’re squicked out by the thought of bird-eating insects. You can see a little blood on the bird.) [Link](http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyardbirds/hummingbirds/mantis-hummer.aspx?sc=birdwireJul2005) ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/2 "2005-08-07T15:20:54Z")
Wow, I had no idea mantids could/would catch and eat birds…you learn something new everyday… ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/3 "2005-08-07T15:38:00Z")
Once my husband and I watched a praying mantis catch, kill, and eat a bumblebee. We were amazed. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/4 "2005-08-07T17:45:14Z")
Yikes. Maybe we should start calling them pr **e** ying mantises. Go mantis go! ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/5 "2005-08-08T00:36:53Z")
Wow, amazing, I would not have thought mantids could snag a hummer. I admire them both, so have no qualms. Very amazing photos. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/6 "2005-08-08T00:44:55Z")
[Another hummer gets caught](http://www.rlephoto.com/birds/hummer_mantis02.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/7 "2005-08-08T01:09:13Z")
There’s a whole sub-genre of the scientific literature that consists of “X eats a hummingbird,” with X being spiders, praying mantises, frogs, trout, or whatever. I;ve even seen one about a hummer being done in by being caught in a thistle. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/8 "2005-08-08T01:11:07Z")
Alright, what about: Batman vs. Hummingbird? Ditka vs. Hummingbird? ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/9 "2005-08-08T01:49:44Z")
Woah! The wife brought a branch over to our patio table las weekend with a Mantis on it. I was happily sitting there drinking a beer looking at it. What struck me was it’s awareness of it’s surroundings. I went in for the camera (I’ll post pics) and by the time I came out, it was latched onto the beerglass. I can see why they’re kept as pets. (here’s the pics: [http://www.millertwinracing.com/mantis](http://www.millertwinracing.com/mantis) ) ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/10 "2005-08-08T05:49:53Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Alright, what about: > > Batman vs. Hummingbird? > > Ditka vs. Hummingbird? Dikka! ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/11 "2005-08-08T06:07:06Z")
Eurgh. Those things totally [creep me out](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=205629); I had no idea they could catch birds! I would have thought the hummingbird’s momentum would knock the bug off its branch. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/12 "2005-08-08T06:22:30Z")
> [@CBCD](#): > > Once my husband and I watched a praying mantis catch, kill, and eat a bumblebee. We were amazed. I watched a mantis stalk, kill, and eat a wasp about 2 feet from its nest. I think it eventually preyed on the entire wasp nest. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/13 "2005-08-08T06:29:23Z")
> [@Archergal](#): > > Praying mantis wins Pfft. The hummingbird wasn’t prepared. ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/14 "2005-08-08T13:02:00Z")
> [@Unintentionally Blank](#): > > Woah! The wife brought a branch over to our patio table las weekend with a Mantis on it. I was happily sitting there drinking a beer looking at it. What struck me was it’s awareness of it’s surroundings. I went in for the camera (I’ll post pics) and by the time I came out, it was latched onto the beerglass. > > I can see why they’re kept as pets. (here’s the pics: [http://www.millertwinracing.com/mantis](http://www.millertwinracing.com/mantis) ) Oh man! There is nothing scarier than a drunken, hungry mantis! Run away! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/15 "2005-08-08T13:42:23Z")
Please don’t let this be a hijack, but I have to report that I heard what a guy presented as true story. I’m almost positive it was a joke. But anyway the story went that this guy was forever catching this same big fish (let’s say it was bass, although I forget the variety) and throwing it back. It kept getting bigger over the months he kept catching it and throwing it back, and he was using all sorts of lures and live bait to catch it. It’s almost like they got to be friends. Anyway, the guy takes a buddy out fishing with him and they go into this cove where the water is clear enough they can see this fish under the water near an old tree that’s partially submerged. The guy who’s along for the trip asks the old-timer why the fish is lurking there so still, The old-timer points to a squirrel on the branch nearest the water and says, “that’s why.” ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/16 "2005-08-08T14:37:54Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Please don’t let this be a hijack, but I have to report that I heard what a guy presented as true story. I’m almost positive it was a joke. But anyway the story went that this guy was forever catching this same big fish (let’s say it was bass, although I forget the variety) and throwing it back. It kept getting bigger over the months he kept catching it and throwing it back, and he was using all sorts of lures and live bait to catch it. It’s almost like they got to be friends. Anyway, the guy takes a buddy out fishing with him and they go into this cove where the water is clear enough they can see this fish under the water near an old tree that’s partially submerged. The guy who’s along for the trip asks the old-timer why the fish is lurking there so still, The old-timer points to a squirrel on the branch nearest the water and says, “that’s why.” Sorry - I don’t get it. I always thought praying mantises were cool. I never thought they were fast enough to snag a hummingbird, though! Thanks for the link, **Archergal**. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/17 "2005-08-08T14:40:26Z")
> [@Dolores Reborn](#): > > Sorry - I don’t get it. I’m sorry. The fish was about to snag the squirrel. That’s why I thought this might fit in with the OP’s unusual capture of a big critter by a smaller one. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/18 "2005-08-08T14:42:15Z")
Oh! I’m just slow this morning, I guess… ---
**Author:** ![Unregistered\_Bull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3da27b/32.png) [@Unregistered\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unregistered_Bull)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/19 "2005-08-08T20:55:09Z")
I had no idea that a Praying Mantis preyed on Hummingbirds. As much as I like hummingbirds ( I feed them every year ), those were some quite interesting pictures. I better keep my eye out for mantises (sp?) hanging around my feeder. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992/20 "2005-08-08T22:06:25Z")
> [@astro](#): > > [Another hummer gets caught](http://www.rlephoto.com/birds/hummer_mantis02.jpg) There’s a Starship Troopers brain bug joke in here someplace, but damned if I can find it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/315992.md?page=2)