The elevated posture and folded front legs of the praying mantis might lead you to believe that this cunning predator is a seemingly benign, upstanding member of the insect kingdom but dont be fooled.
If we needed any further proof that this voracious carnivore is a threat to animals and insects alike, we now have it with a new study by zoologists finding that praying mantises have been documented killing birds and devouring their brains across the globe.
If that makes it sound like mantises have been infected by some kind of zombie contagion compelling them to hunt down and consume our feathery friends, dont worry that hasnt happened (at least as far as were aware). The truth is this is just an amazing natural behaviour.
But while it has been known that mantises infrequently prey upon small vertebrates also including frogs, lizards, and snakes in addition to their regular fare of arthropods, up until now scientists werent clued in on how universal the bird buffet was.
“The fact that eating of birds is so widespread in praying mantises, both taxonomically as well as geographically speaking, is a spectacular discovery,” says lead researcher Martin Nyffeler from the University of Basel in Switzerland.
Nyffelers team reviewed all the available scientific literature and other accounts on bird predation by mantises and found that the phenomenon has been documented in 13 different countries, on all continents except Antarctica with mantises preying on some 24 different species of bird.
All up, the researchers found 147 cases of the behaviour that have been reported since the first documented instance back in 1864, with the majority of cases involving attacks on hummingbirds in the US, where the birds are often ambushed at hummingbird feeders in house gardens.
According to at least one of the included observations, the act is pretty gruesome, especially since mantises are known to sometimes consume their prey while theyre still alive:
The attack, which may end on a flourish with a complete decapitation, is made possible by the mantiss powerful front legs sometimes described as forearms which enable it to capture and pretty much just incapacitate the victim.
“They just hold [their prey], and they eat them while they are still alive, slowly and slowly until there is nothing left,” retired forensic ecologist Dietrich Mebs from the University of Frankfurt in Germany, who wasnt involved with the study, told Newsweek.
Thats certainly one word for it, but while the behaviour may definitely make some bird lovers and watchers a bit squeamish, it could also potentially represent a risk to bird numbers especially hummingbirds in the US.
“Thus, great caution is advised when releasing mantises for pest control”, something that has been practised in the past.
While the widespread nature of this bird hunting may come as something of a surprise to scientists, Indiana-based author and bird-watcher Kenn Kaufman says that in light of the overall scarcity of accounts recorded so far, we probably dont have to be too worried about hummingbirds on that score.
“As weird/gruesome as the behaviour seems, I dont think it represents a threat to the survival of any hummingbird species, because it doesnt happen very often relative to the total population,” Kaufman told Sarah Emerson at Motherboard.
But while it has been known that mantises infrequently prey upon small vertebrates also including frogs, lizards, and snakes in addition to their regular fare of arthropods, up until now scientists werent clued in on how universal the bird buffet was.
The team led by Nyffelers examined every piece of scientific literature and other account of mantises preying on birds that was available. They discovered that this phenomenon had been observed in 13 different countries, on every continent except Antarctica, and that mantises were feeding on about 24 different species of birds.
That’s definitely one way to put it, but while the behavior might make some bird watchers and enthusiasts queasy, it might also pose a threat to the population of birds, particularly hummingbirds in the US.
“Thus, great caution is advised when releasing mantises for pest control”, something that has been practised in the past.
If that sounds like mantises have become infected with a zombie virus that is forcing them to seek out and devour our feathered friends, don’t worrythat hasn’t happened, as far as we know. The truth is this is just an amazing natural behaviour.
On average, mantids and hummingbirds are the same length. However, the size difference between a mantis’s typical meal and a hummingbird is quite striking. Bees and wasps are about half an inch long, while hummingbirds are typically about 4 inches long (though some species, like the Giant Hummingbird, are twice that size). Hummingbirds are therefore eight times larger than what a mantid typically consumes.
Additionally, a mantid’s eyes may grow larger than its stomach due to hunger. According to Martin, “a mantis’s concept of what constitutes prey grows broader and broader as it gets hungry and the time since its last meal gets longer, and shell strike at larger targets.”
Let’s hope you can shoo the mantis away before you have to see a hummingbird brutally taken down.
Mantids certainly appear to be evil creatures, as following mating, the female consumes the male. However, mantids are really wonderful insects to have in your garden. They eat bugs and theyre kind of cool looking. If you are growing vegetables, it is also a good idea to keep them nearby.
Hummingbird feeders provide a great place for mantids to wait for their prey, as some of their favorite meals are attracted to the sugary water.
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