8/13/2005: Praying mantis kills hummingbird
 

http://cellar.org/2005/mantishummingbird.jpg

A Saturday special? I guess. Boing Boing finds this item from Birdwatchers Digest, in which this gruesome scene is captured. West Chester PA native Richard Walkup describes it thusly:

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.

We surmised that the mantis ran the hummer through and dangled its full weight on its foreleg while he consumed the flesh of the hummingbird from the abdomen. After he had his fill, the mantis gave his foreleg several swift jerks and freed his leg.

Ew. But totally amazing.

Wow. Breast of hummingbird? That's probably a pretty rare delicacy, even in the insect world.

West Chester is a much tougher town than people realize.

I've been seeing a lot more hummingbirds here in Atlanta where I am staying to look after my parents. The other day I was sitting at my desk and one landed on a branch outside the window to take a break. Seems like you rarely see one sit still for very long. He ket bobbing his head back and forth while he rested as if he couldn't stand to be perfectly still. Then he flew off in search of more flowers.

Today a hummingbird, tomorrow . . .THE WORLD!!

Would that be a Smorgasbird?

sorry

Zorak!

Damn...that's pretty damn ninja. I never knew mantises had realultimatepower!

Why do you think those ancient Kung Fu guys copied their moves?

That's incredible. 1- That a Mantis can do that. 2- That it ate it's fill and threw the rest away. :mg:

did you know that if you fold your arms into a mantis like pose, and sway side to side in front of a mantis, it will attempt to attack you? no shit. try it next time you see one. it's fucking awesome. i saw a guy do it at work once. it flew right at him. he was just fucking around imitating it. he spazzed like a little girl.

Sure is a charismatic little fella - the way he pulls the birds... :D

Girl, you crack my shizzle UP! :lol:

Indeed, Wolf is da explosive device.

Hmmm.....Brit humor....ah, humour. ;)

Yuck I hate those things, I'd have to squish it and save the bird. :eek: