Nov 2009 National Geographic - Mantid pic

[Rick]

Hmmm maybe a stagmomantis can do it.

 

[yeatzee]

well I know they will at least try (as seen in the second video towards the end). They are gluttons to say the least.

So, my vote is that this picture is legit.

 

[Ntsees]

Ok, thanks guys for showing me. Although there were some that I still think were set-up, there were also some that clearly showed the most evidence for that possibility (from yeatzee -

).

 

[yeatzee]

Do explain......

 

[Ntsees]

Do explain......

Whether it was staged or not, it looks like it is possible. Based on the other videos, it looks like a mantid other than a Chinese will go for it and succeed. In the video that I referred to, in my view, the setting gave proof even though it didn't capture the moment the mantid grabbed the hummingbird. This is only my prediction and others may disagree - in the video, it shows a mantid eating the hummingbird. If that hummingbird was captured by the mantid, the support (woody stems) the mantid was on will give slack as the struggle and swirling goes on. Basically, the mantid would still be able to hold onto the bird and the woody stems it was on. The struggle may take a while, but the bird would eventually lose strength and be taken. In the original picture (Nat. Geo.), I believe the mantid would have fallen off just like the mantid in one of the videos. That's why I wasn't going to believe that the original mantid captured that hummingbird, struggled with it, and still manage to eat it on that slippery surface without falling off.

So, to refute myself, a mantid other than a Chinese does have the strength to capture and kill a hummingbird.

 

[yeatzee]

Ok, I see what you are saying. I was confused and thought you were saying the first video I posted was "staged."

 

[kamakiri]

I'm certain it is real. S. limbata in the wild have little fear with anything visiting a flower. They strike at almost anthing moving in their reach when hungry. I had trouble pulling some fiberglass mesh that one of my wild caught girls grabbed, just because it was the first thing that passed by in 3 days. I had trouble making her give it up as she was determined to bring it to her and bite it. I was pulling harder than a 5 lb trigger. My larger limbatas are still smaller than any sinensis females I've had, but I think they have similar reach and strength, perhaps more.

And while I love humming birds, there really isn't much to them. I had a fledgeling once on my finger, and I could barely feel it...like it was all feathers.

 

[Ntsees]

Ok, I see what you are saying. I was confused and thought you were saying the first video I posted was "staged."

:lol: The funny thing was the other video you posted up. How on earth did that mantid get onto that hummingbird feeder (if you were to exclude the possibility that someone literally put it there)? I don't see any branches that may have aided it's way there and the sides on that feeder appears to be slippery. If that mantid fell from a branch above the feeder, that is one lucky landing.

 

[yeatzee]

You can't possibly make a conclusion while only being able to see half of the feeder? The bird feeder obviously is attached to something so all the mantid would have to do is crawl down the string or w/e it is attached with. All that movement must be tantalizing for a hungry mantid

 

[kamakiri]

The mantis will not have a problem getting to the feeder without falling from a branch. I've seen a limbata perched on top of a rose bloom about 8 feet+ high. It also surprises me how well limbata tarsal claws or sticky pads cling to smooth plastic. My girls scale brand new kritter keeper walls pretty easily going up or down. I even have one ooth that was laid with her four walking legs only on the clear smooth plastic. I'm certain she got there on her own. Limbatas also like large blooms...exactly what the feeder emulates. They also like to hang underneath, just like the one pictured is doing.

 

[cloud jaguar]

I dont expect a hummingbird would actually struggle at all - it believe it would probably die of cardiac arrest if grabbed.

 

[cloud jaguar]

i also know s. limbatas to be total pigs that will actively hunt down prey items. Assuming this is an s. limbata, i would vote that it is legit. Just now i was taking pictures of one of our pink s. limbatas in the front yard on a sage blossom when a hummingbird came by! It didn't happen though that the mantid saw/attacked it. Definitely would not put it past an s. limbata though

 

[Ntsees]

i also know s. limbatas to be total pigs that will actively hunt down prey items. Assuming this is an s. limbata, i would vote that it is legit. Just now i was taking pictures of one of our pink s. limbatas in the front yard on a sage blossom when a hummingbird came by! It didn't happen though that the mantid saw/attacked it. Definitely would not put it past an s. limbata though

Yeah, I agree that it's a limbata. In my book, unless it can be shown that it's underwings are ~purple/black/red, it qualifies for a limbata because it doesn't have the black spec on it's forewings.

 

[elf run1]

i read somwhere that hummingbirds when scared are prone to get heat attacks so...that gets rid of the challenge of holding the birds...also on youtube a mantis catching a snake and a mouse. kills the mouse, but snake gets away with a few bites

 

[PhilinYuma]

i read somwhere that hummingbirds when scared are prone to get heat attacks so...that gets rid of the challenge of holding the birds...also on youtube a mantis catching a snake and a mouse. kills the mouse, but snake gets away with a few bites

I remember reading once about an old lady who swallowed a fly, but I don't know why she swallowed the fly.

I thought she'd die.

 

[MantidLord]

I dont expect a hummingbird would actually struggle at all - it believe it would probably die of cardiac arrest if grabbed.

+1. Hummingbirds are known for dying with the slightest shock. So getting hit by a mantis out of no where would kill it and make it as easy enough to kill as a butterfly. So I don't really think the whole "struggle support" theory is a factor. Especially if you consider: no struggle, and hummingbirds are very light.

 

[mantidsandgeckos]

I remember reading once about an old lady who swallowed a fly, but I don't know why she swallowed the fly.I thought she'd die.

poor flies

 

[animalexplorer]

It's possible the hummers that fall prey to this scenario could be either young, old or possibly sick, which makes for an easier catch. Humming birds are very small birds, if you could imagine one without feathers they would appear even smaller, something a big mantid species could catch. Although dealing with bigger prey can be more of a catching challenge, holding onto it might present an even greater task.

 

[Mr.Mantid]

Heres an interesting vid where a mantis actually snags one, but the bird gets away. I can't tell what species it is though.