Look Ma! One hand!

[Zephyr]

Has anyone else noticed that when their mantids go after prey they know they can overwhelm easily that they only use one arm? My L3 Chinese mantids are snagging big phorid flies left and right like this.

I haven't observed them long enough to notice an arm preference yet.

 

[Rick]

Nope.

 

[Nymphe]

Yes! They often catch another prey with the other arm while still holding on to the first. I sometimes feed a whole swarm of flies that are actually too small just to see that.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I always get tickled when I see them grab another, then sad thinking awww their starving :lol: ps excuse the poor smilies!

 

[Katnapper]

Yes, I was cracking up the other day when one of my L4 wahlbergii's grabbed a house fly in one arm and was eating it. You could see him noticing other house flies fying around him in the enclosure as he was eating. So he stuck his other arm almost straight up and held it there until another one came close enough, and he grabbed it too. But the pose of him eating with one arm, and the other held up waiting to casually catch another while never missing a beat eating was priceless.

 

[jameslongo]

Yes, I was cracking up the other day when one of my L4 wahlbergii's grabbed a house fly in one arm and was eating it. You could see him noticing other house flies fying around him in the enclosure as he was eating. So he stuck his other arm almost straight up and held it there until another one came close enough, and he grabbed it too. But the pose of him eating with one arm, and the other held up waiting to casually catch another while never missing a beat eating was priceless.

Oh my Snake does that all the time It is funny & a tad annoying. Especially when he completely forgets about the fly he's already caught, grabs another with one arm & drops the not-even-half eaten fly on the floor :lol: