Does it also know where the head of a fish or a mouse is? I saw a video of a mantis killing a live mouse and it went for the head/neck area. Then there was Rick's pic of a mantis eating a fish, but if the fish was already dead, it may be because the prey needs to be alive for the mantis to know where the head is. But still, how does it KNOW where the head is? This is an instinctive creature of low intelligence...how does it know?
How does a mantis know where the head of an insect is?
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Ian
Well-known member
Yes, I have noticed this. What I have read is that they prey on the neck first, so to paralyze whatever they are eating, which really does make sense. But I am not sure how they know.
Rib
Well-known member
There alot to be said for instinct. Did you know what when a woman is pregnant she can get cravings for coal or chalk even though she's never eaten the stuff before (obviously) if they are lacking minerals. weird.
nympho
Well-known member
hi.
I've never seen it, at least in the ones i've kept.
From what i've seen, at least half the time, they just start eating whichever part 'comes to hand' first, so can end up devouring the abdomen end first and the head end last, or the upperside or underside first, with the poor creature remaining alive and kicking the whole time. This could be bad in that it may attract a bird or other predator, but if it did try to find the head it may take longer anyway, counteracting any potential advantage.
On the other hand, messing around trying to find the head end may give the prey a chance to wriggle free or sting, so on balance it probably makes sense overall just start eating as fast a possible; the results the same for the mantis! Unless you saw the mantis turn the prey and search for the head end it was probably just how the mantis grabbed the prey that time.
I've have however read they do this, but it was probably only in a general sort insect book and the author had probably not actually observed it himself. I guess its just one of those myths about mantises, like flower mantises sitting around on flowers specifically (which would imply they have the ability to keep searching selectively to find new flowers which by their nature only last a short time). but thats another issue.
I've never seen it, at least in the ones i've kept.
From what i've seen, at least half the time, they just start eating whichever part 'comes to hand' first, so can end up devouring the abdomen end first and the head end last, or the upperside or underside first, with the poor creature remaining alive and kicking the whole time. This could be bad in that it may attract a bird or other predator, but if it did try to find the head it may take longer anyway, counteracting any potential advantage.
On the other hand, messing around trying to find the head end may give the prey a chance to wriggle free or sting, so on balance it probably makes sense overall just start eating as fast a possible; the results the same for the mantis! Unless you saw the mantis turn the prey and search for the head end it was probably just how the mantis grabbed the prey that time.
I've have however read they do this, but it was probably only in a general sort insect book and the author had probably not actually observed it himself. I guess its just one of those myths about mantises, like flower mantises sitting around on flowers specifically (which would imply they have the ability to keep searching selectively to find new flowers which by their nature only last a short time). but thats another issue.
Half the time my mantids catch something and will just start gnawing wherever. I say that because sometimes they will catch coconut husk along with the cricket and start eating the husk. I think the only way they know is by the insect biting on the mantid.
J
julian camilo
Guest
if you watch them as they catch a fly for example, they dont just snap forwards, grab, and snap back, often theres a lot of flapping about before they settle and start eating. this only takes like half a second but it always ends in the mantis starting eating the thorax or head of the fly. ive NEVER seen a mantis catch a fly of its own accord and start eating the abdomen first (and if it was random, youd think theyd start with this part first at least sometimes as its the largest overall part, so has more of a chance in a random situation). but i dont think its random, i do think there is some repositioning involved during that split second capture. as for how they know which bit is which, i have no idea, im quite interested.
edit: i dont mean to so0und like i know for a fact, its just what ive seen.
edit: i dont mean to so0und like i know for a fact, its just what ive seen.
Ian
Well-known member
From http://www.insecta-inspecta.com/mantids/praying/
From http://www.thebigzoo.com/Animals/Praying_Mantis.asp
From http://www.hedonistica.com/archives/2005/0...ying_mantis.php
These are just a few of articles from the many online, that describe this tactic used by most mantids.
What does that prove? I can pull up a quote off the internet saying the earth is flat too. Most of what I have read is not accurate regarding mantids. In my observations they start eating whatever part is closest to them without ever starting off by biting the neck. You should know that biting an insects "neck" or even removing it's head does not paralyze it. With mantids we're talking about an insect here, not a lion. I also just threw a cricket to my african and guess what part she starting eating first? The knee joint of the back leg! No neck biting.
Ian
Well-known member
Well if you have a look how many articles online discuss this, one can automatically think that it is infact true. The way this "idea" is spread, is not like some deceased tale like your example of the earth being flat. Maybe this is not the instinct they use every time when eating prey...but I will try and take a video next time I see mine feeding from the neck.
good stuff, guys. good points on both sides. i haven't had a mantis for a long time, but want to get back into it (main issue is scaring away my girlfriends lol), but some points to consider:
1. if the mantis just starts eating at whatever positions is most convenient (randomly), how does it consistently avoid getting stung by bees and wasps? or how does it consistently avoid getting bitten by spiders?
2. if the mantis does deliberately start eating at a specific location, how does it know where? e.g. the head, the fangs, the stinger, etc.
1. if the mantis just starts eating at whatever positions is most convenient (randomly), how does it consistently avoid getting stung by bees and wasps? or how does it consistently avoid getting bitten by spiders?
2. if the mantis does deliberately start eating at a specific location, how does it know where? e.g. the head, the fangs, the stinger, etc.
regarding finding sites that claim that mantids go for the neck...
it sounds like something that should be taken with a grain of salt. it's one of those things that "make sense" and so is EASILY passed around as fact when in fact it could just be a myth. sorta like how tons of sites say to add vinegar when washing clothes to preserve the color...on a very very few websites will tell you that this is a myth. so yeah, you gotta love the net. whenever i read something like that, i need footnotes or something that tell me where they got that information from in the first place or if it's just something they read on another site and assumed it was true.
it sounds like something that should be taken with a grain of salt. it's one of those things that "make sense" and so is EASILY passed around as fact when in fact it could just be a myth. sorta like how tons of sites say to add vinegar when washing clothes to preserve the color...on a very very few websites will tell you that this is a myth. so yeah, you gotta love the net. whenever i read something like that, i need footnotes or something that tell me where they got that information from in the first place or if it's just something they read on another site and assumed it was true.
jandl2204
Well-known member
In terms of online communities and care sheets, etc. they are often composed using observations academic text and information which someone/people have collected over time. This should not be dismissed as some of the information you come across is inaccurate or often just incoherent babble for some misguided teenager.
My observation has been that when a mantis nymph to adult strikes prey that is relatively not dangerous to the mantis then it will devour whatever part it has caught without any 'thought' as to what part it is eating. However this is not typical behaviour, i have seen even fruit fly and housefly delicately moved around positioned so that the mantid is able to bit into the creature neck.
I have noticed that when prey which could be considered harmful such as a cricket, locust and/or a stinging creature, that the mantis will strike at it and quickly position themselves in such a was as to enable them to chew thought its neck.
These are personal observations and i do spent a un healthy amount of time admiring there behaviour. In terms of evolution an innate set of behaviours are like to have developed to enhance the mantids survival. Having the instinct to bit though prey's necks to disable them (cutting the cns ~central nervous system~) not only means less energy is expanded in capturing and eating prey but the likelihood of the mantis being injured is also reduced. Though off point buy honey bees make use of a distinctive dance as to alert other hive members as to where some abundant nectar may be this is another example of an innate behaviour. Such examples and the reasoning behind this can be applied to this area.
Though this is my opinion i have not read enough academic text to back this up though i am sure if you look hard enough and observe such behaviour my opinion and the limited biological point i made seem to apply quite nicely.
Regards.
Lee
My observation has been that when a mantis nymph to adult strikes prey that is relatively not dangerous to the mantis then it will devour whatever part it has caught without any 'thought' as to what part it is eating. However this is not typical behaviour, i have seen even fruit fly and housefly delicately moved around positioned so that the mantid is able to bit into the creature neck.
I have noticed that when prey which could be considered harmful such as a cricket, locust and/or a stinging creature, that the mantis will strike at it and quickly position themselves in such a was as to enable them to chew thought its neck.
These are personal observations and i do spent a un healthy amount of time admiring there behaviour. In terms of evolution an innate set of behaviours are like to have developed to enhance the mantids survival. Having the instinct to bit though prey's necks to disable them (cutting the cns ~central nervous system~) not only means less energy is expanded in capturing and eating prey but the likelihood of the mantis being injured is also reduced. Though off point buy honey bees make use of a distinctive dance as to alert other hive members as to where some abundant nectar may be this is another example of an innate behaviour. Such examples and the reasoning behind this can be applied to this area.
Though this is my opinion i have not read enough academic text to back this up though i am sure if you look hard enough and observe such behaviour my opinion and the limited biological point i made seem to apply quite nicely.
Regards.
Lee
I think the mantis just goes and attacks the most active parts of the body. Like Rick was saying, his mantid would go for the crickets legs. Mine do the same thing because they might lose the food if the cricket kept using it's hind legs. Other times I have seen crickets start biting on my mantids and instantly the mantid will go for the head. I have no idea about bees or spiders. The only thing I can think of is that they just go for the most active parts that they see.
jandl2204
Well-known member
But that would be the point i what i was trying to get across, the mantis would have an innate drive which would make it bit into the crickets neck so paralysing it. Biting off the animals legs does not prevent the mantid from being bitten. Rather it would be counter productive, removing part of the prey which could be fed upon, as i am assuming that the mantid would discard some parts of the prey in order to prevent it from getting away.
Lee
Lee
Rib
Well-known member
I think this answers any questions 
Ian
Well-known member
Cheers Rob
13ollox
Well-known member
i just observed my mantis catch a cric and eat it ! it just chowed down on its abdomen 1st , then the cric kicked its face and things but she just bit its leg off after about the 5th time and carried on eating the abdomen after that , the head was the very last piece that got eaten ! maybe different species do different capture techniques ? this was a female membranacea sub adult !
Edit 1: just fed her another and exactly the same thing . i remember my polyspilota used to actually bite the neck and things before chowing down on anything else .
Edit 2 : just fed my male membrancea a cric also and he went straight for the neck untill he had chewed its head off ! so a variety of results !
Neil
Edit 1: just fed her another and exactly the same thing . i remember my polyspilota used to actually bite the neck and things before chowing down on anything else .
Edit 2 : just fed my male membrancea a cric also and he went straight for the neck untill he had chewed its head off ! so a variety of results !
Neil
PlasticMonkey
Member
I just fed my chinese mantis a caterpiller, and she started by munching on what was closest... until the 'piller decided to chomp on her forearm! She took care of that problem (chewed on the 'piller's head for a bit), then went back to the part she had been eating.
I guess it just depends on where they can bite first, or whatever.
I guess it just depends on where they can bite first, or whatever.
