preying mantis kills humming bird

[monkeyfoot]

WOW i thought that this deserved a thread of its own. A preying mantis caught a humming bird whilst hanging from its rear legs. The pictures are absolutly awesome. What a great insect/style. Im seriously thinking about getting one, I really want an orchid mantid.

enjoy
craig

ps: dont just keep the thread to this, if you have any pictures of mantids or artwork based on the insect/style then post em up.

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyardbirds/hummingbirds/mantis-hummer.aspx?sc=birdwireJul2005

[Xiao3 Meng4]

Amazing... the mantis impaled and killed the flying hummingbird with one strike!:eek:

CSP

[K.Brazier]

Thanks Monkey foot.

"As you can see from the photographs this hungry mantis captured and killed a hummingbird not much smaller than itself.* The mantis used its spiny left foreleg to impale the hummingbird through the chest while leaving his right leg free."

This is exactly how I fight. Hold him with my left and hit him with my right. I us ually use my left hand for feng shou-sealing hand, but I can see how just impaling the enemy through the chest would substitute that.

Kevin
BTW, My plane for Tampa leaves tomorrow.

[mantid1]

Have a safe trip

[monkeyfoot]

"As you can see from the photographs this hungry mantis captured and killed a hummingbird not much smaller than itself.* The mantis used its spiny left foreleg to impale the hummingbird through the chest while leaving his right leg free."


Yes. This tactic reminds me exactly of the beginning of the fourth road in 'black tiger cross'. The use of a double intercepting hand shot straight into a finger strike. Hand grasping is really useful in controlling I find.

glad you liked it
Craig

[German Bai Lung]

Sorry folks, but I got some Mantids here at my home and I study the little animals.
I am sure they can not "impale" some other animals with their forearms!
They have tiny, very sensitive parts at the end of the Forearms (to feel and to climb with them). Sure they get injured when trying to impale something.

The forearms are for catching. The rest (hurting and killing) do Mantids with their mouth! They eat their victims alive.
I read in a book that their was a mantid who ate a frog and the frog was crying for several hours in pain ....

[monkeyfoot]

Its okay GBL you haven't ****ed on my bonfire...

Im still thinking those pictures look pretty acurate, the picture in this case shows a forearm in the bird.....hence why I posted it.

What species do you have, new zeland mantis (green'ish etc) or a more exotic one (leaf mantis or orchid mantis). What are they like to look after? What sort of food? Living space? Etc
I really want to keep one

craig

[Ou Ji]

There are many different types of mantids. I understand the asian varities are very aggressive.

[yu shan]

This is kind of off topic but interesting... for me anyway.

Awhile back had to relocate a mantis from the backyard to my front porch. She was having to fight off my dachsunds every time I let them out. She has taken refuge in a large potted schefflera tree. The temperature is going to drop to 20 tonight so the tropicals have to be brought in. Guess who is coming in for a visit?

[German Bai Lung]

I got two Hierodula Membranacea (male and female). They are really big and living in india, china etc.

They are really aggressive: catching everything thats moving and not bigger in size than themselves!
Most of the time I give them grasshoppers, the big ones from Egypt.
But also they like the big moths! They catch the victims real fast and begin to eat at the same time! If the victim is wild they start eating the head. Keeps them cool real fast! :eek:

The female I got in a big flower in my living room. The male is in a glass terrarium. They can´t be in the same place, cuz the female would catch and eat the male! :(

[BeiTangLang]

Sorry folks, but I got some Mantids here at my home and I study the little animals.
I am sure they can not "impale" some other animals with their forearms!
They have tiny, very sensitive parts at the end of the Forearms (to feel and to climb with them). Sure they get injured when trying to impale something.

The forearms are for catching. The rest (hurting and killing) do Mantids with their mouth! They eat their victims alive.
I read in a book that their was a mantid who ate a frog and the frog was crying for several hours in pain ....

Well,..I gotta disagree with you. The tiny "arms" at the ends of the "fore-arms" fold flat-back against the "fore-arms" leaving a rather nasty "spike" exposed at the end of it. Maybe not all of them do/have this, but the one I had as a pet used her "spike" on larger prey similar to the humming-bird image to impale them.

[-N-]

My classmate sent me a mantis egg case several years ago. I kept it in a 10 gallon aquarium until it hatched and a few hundred baby mantises came out.

The mantises all fought among themselves and ate the losers until there were only like 6 big badass mantises left. Very cool.

Interesting to see the fights. They would attack and grab, unbalance the other one and keep it from getting its base, then go for the neck and head for the kill.

N.

[German Bai Lung]

Well,..I gotta disagree with you. The tiny "arms" at the ends of the "fore-arms" fold flat-back against the "fore-arms" leaving a rather nasty "spike" exposed at the end of it. Maybe not all of them do/have this, but the one I had as a pet used her "spike" on larger prey similar to the humming-bird image to impale them.


Never come across a Mantis like this! The one on the Picture doesn´t look like either!

Some more pics with the detail of the forearm:

[monkeyfoot]

Jochen

Could you give me some information about keeping the mantid.

1) What sort or environment should you keep them in and how big?
2) What temperatures do you need to maintain
3) What and what not food to feed them
4) How many times to feed them and how much
5) How many times to clean their area
6) What do you do about them growing wings and needing to fly
7) What do you do for water - or is this taken in when eating prey

Thankyou

Craig

[German Bai Lung]

Craig,

there are many many different Mantids. Everyone got his own preferences. So its best to get a book. I´m sure there are enough in english language to cover the different mantids and the way to keep them!

[BeiTangLang]

Could you give me some information about keeping the mantid.

1) What sort or environment should you keep them in and how big?
I kept mine ina 20 gallon aquarium. room temp worked fine. Having sticks or branches in the tank help them to shed.

2) What temperatures do you need to maintain
Room temperature seemed to work fine for them.

3) What and what not food to feed them
my group (like -n-'s) ate on siblings at first. then small crickets, then ranom incects.
btw, if you hatch them from a pod, put a very fine mesh across the top unless you want a mantis infestation. (Don't ask me how I know).

4) How many times to feed them and how much
They are voratious eaters. I always kept at least one live incect in at all times.
having 1-3 crickets in at all times never hurt.

5) How many times to clean their area
I cleaned out the tank once a month.

6) What do you do about them growing wings and needing to fly
Mine never flew untill I let it go. Didn't seem to have a problem doing it without practice.


7) What do you do for water - or is this taken in when eating prey
I kept a very shallow dish with a sponge in it. More for the incets that the mantis. I never saw them drink from it.
However, spraying the tank (misting with a spray bottle) and the mantis (once every couple of weeks) will keep it healthier.

Yeah, I know you asked GBL, but I've had a few myself.

[BeiTangLang]

Never come across a Mantis like this! The one on the Picture doesn´t look like either!

Some more pics with the detail of the forearm:

On the first picture you don't see the big honking spear-tip on the end of the forearm? (The smaller arm touching the plant is attaced right next to it.)

In the second image, the small arm is not showing. You know why?? Beacuse it retracts flat up against the forearm. When the arms shoot out, the small arm swivels (think about it,...if it didn't it would most likely break off due to the forces involved) backwards.


I'll see if I can't find some beter pictures for you.

[German Bai Lung]

Bei: thanks for your input!


BUT:

Youre help is not much worth, because Craig wants a orchid mantis ...
so:

1. A terrarium (an Aquarium will not work because of the air) is needed at least 20x20x20 cm. Could be bigger. For bigger Mantids (than orchid, they are rather small) there have to be bigger places. I keep my female (she is about 10cm bodylength) in my livingroom - free!

2. For Hierodula or sphrodomantis 20-22° C are ok. But for many others temperature must be higher. Also there must be different huminity. If they are still growing and skinning it could be a case of to live or die!

3. also depends of what Mantids: there are Fly specialiced Mantids and some prefer Grasshopers.

4. daily would be fine. But there are timeperiods when they didn´t eat at all!

5. depends ... (did I say that before? .... )

6. Most of the mantids never fly. Female are very place-sitting. Males often change and search for femalles. Also depends on .....

7. Most Mantids drink. Only the ones from the desert doesn´t. Also when skinning its very important to get some water in the air.
But how often depends on what Mantid ... (yes I said that before, I´m sure ... )

They are Mantid-Families called: Normal type, Floorliving Type, Mantids with Zebra-Effect, lurking branches, blossomlike Type, Grasslike Type, leaflike Type ...

It really makes sence to get a book "before" you get yourself a Mantid!


Bei: the foto shows how curved the forearm is. It would never impale anything I believe. Also the tiny part of the forarm could bend, yes. but not to the part that you mean was able to impale something.

[monkeyfoot]

on the contary, i found both of all of them helpful in some way or the other.

GBL- I will get hold of a book for myself, I have also got a very good website bookmarked. Orchid mantids are apparently quite hard to keep, as well as costing a bit, I think I might go for 'a big green one'. lol

Oh, you said you have it.....FREE?!?!
dont these things bite, aren't you afraid it might climb over the sofa and become a perminant addition to your rear end?

thanks again guys
craig

[Mantis9700]

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/praying-mantis-vs-hummingbird/20203



I put this here as a discussion piece. The praying mantis is holding its prey upside down. The article even mentions the mantis impaling its victim. So much is talked about in terms of forms and kungfu politics. Perhaps we can discuss what goes into forging your mantis arm/claw?!

[mooyingmantis]

Cool photo! I have seen a video on the same subject (mantis captures hummingbird).

Mantis arm can be developed through:
1. Shoulder, bicep, tricep, wrist and finger exercises to strengthen,
2. Three star striking and beating the arms with a 2X4 to toughen,
3. Ball toss and catch for hand and eye coordination.

Mantis claw can be developed through:
1. Iron palm bag strikes (fingers and back of wrist),
2. Tossing and catching an iron palm bag.
3. Grabs and pulls on the wooden man,
4. Finger strikes against a suspended ping pong ball and sheet of paper.