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usaf_retired

I saw it with my own eyes!

usaf_retired
18 years ago

I have read before about praying mantis catching Hummers.

Today I walked past my window and looked out to see a large bright green mantis sitting beside one of my feeders.

This feeder has several regular hummer visitors so I sat down and watched, not really expecting anything to happen. Within 2 minutes, a hummer came in, hovered around for a few seconds and then hovered up to the feeder for a drink. The mantis struck out grabbing the bird by the tail feathers, the bird was chirping loudly and thrashing its wings but the mantis held tight. I panicked myself, and ran out side to help my feathered friend, using the earpiece of my glasses I tried to seperate them and finally most of the birds tail feathers pulled out and she flew off leaving the mantis with a handful of small tail feathers. I took the feathers away from the mantis and moved it far away from the house. I have been watching now for about an hour and have seen several hummers come to feed, but I havent seen one missing its tailfeathers. I wonder how long their memory is and will she ever come back.?

Comments (17)

  • jap373
    18 years ago

    Wow! That is amazing...nature at work! I have no idea about how trauma affects them. It would be interesting to know if she tries again!

    --Jane

  • shadyswing
    18 years ago

    *Whew!* -Talk about a second chance at life! Please post an update if you should see your little save again.

    I'd like to think that such a close call does have an impact on the choices these little birds make, bettering their chances for survival. Here's hoping that hummingbird does have a good long memory and that the mantis...does not!

  • fairy_toadmother
    18 years ago

    me thinks that was a quite intelligent and observant mantis. was that merely chance that it chose that spot? hmmmm. i see a "b" movie in the future.

  • catnappurr
    18 years ago

    Unfortunatley it is true. Praying Mantis are deadly to hummingbirds. Hummingbird.net has an actual picture of a Praying Mantis with a RT hummingbird. Due to the nature of the photos, the person did not post the poor little bird with his neck ripped open. It's absolutely horrid. So if anyone sees a Praying Mantis any where around their feeders or on the stems of their flowers PLEASE remove them for the safety of the hummingbirds. I made sure I checked by plants regularly. Last year I saw a Praying Mantis on one of my Dahlias and it was eating a grasshopper. Not a pretty sight at all!!! :(

  • penny1947
    18 years ago

    Last year I had a preying mantis who kept hanging around a feeder. I immediately got rid of the mantis. Have not seen any this year but I do try and put feeders where they are not as convenient for hummer predators.

    Penny

  • CHARANN102
    18 years ago

    Yikes! Thanks for the warning. We have praying mantis around here but I've never seen one near the feeders. I will keep my eyes open next year though. I would be sick if I saw a hummer in the clutches of a praying mantis!!!

    Charlotte

  • sarahbn
    18 years ago

    I saw a mantiss today I wanted to kill it but it dissapeared. Sarah

  • palm630
    18 years ago

    i have a koi pond and have been observing the bullfrog watching the morning glories,so i drained the pond yesterday and caught all the frogs and moved them to a pond a few blocks away. I'L be dammed if a frog is going to take one of my hummers on my watch.

  • minnie_tx
    18 years ago

    Good for you!! How do you get rid of a Mantis???

  • usaf_retired
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I grew up in a farming community and was taught to never kill a mantis, as they are very beneficial by eating lots of other bugs. After I saved the hummer from its grip , I took it about 100 yards into my back yard and it hasnt returned to my feeders yet.
    As far as the hummer, I have at least 8 or 10 doing their constant arial dogfights, but I havent noticed one missing alot of feathers

  • Michelle_8
    18 years ago

    Wow. I never would have thought.

    I found a PM in my front yard herb bed over the weekend while pulling weeds. I was very careful to move him and not harm him since I know they eat the "bad bugs".

    My Hummingbird feeders are in the back yard, but I will make sure the PM doesn't find his way back there.

  • Janis_G
    18 years ago

    Every year I have PM take up residence on at least one feeder.
    Since my feeders are emptied every day, it is easy to keep an eye on them.
    This year, thankfully, I haven't had a PM near my feeders.

    USAF, i'll be honest here, if I ever have to rescue one of
    my hummers from the clutches of a PM, I can't guarantee
    the PM's safety.

  • Humminon
    18 years ago

    Amazing story - good job separating the mantis! You saved that hummers life!

  • kapil_k_patel_gmail_com
    17 years ago

    Does anybody no how to get rid of Praying Mantis with out killing them. I don't want them in my lawn period because of the children that get frightened. I really prefer not to kill them but they always come back every year.

  • trey77
    17 years ago

    I wouldn't feel bad about killing the big green mantis. Its a Chinese import and competes with the native mantis. The native mantis will only get to 3 inches long and is a light brown color. I can't imagine the native mantis attacking a hummingbird. I let nature be, when the resident hawk eats one of our songbirds, I do not get upset, but when an imported intruder attacks our wildlife its time for war.

  • sqlguy
    17 years ago

    I agree with trey77. Hummingbirds are not "wired" instinctively to guard against cats or large mantids. They don't below in our environment.

    In a similar vein, I once saved a hummingbird that had fallen into the water. When I got out, I saw a sign: "Do NOT feed the gators!" Luckily, I didn't.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Greg's 2006 Arizona Hummingbird photos

  • gypsygirl_ky
    17 years ago

    I attract mantis and hummingbirds to my yard. Havent seen a dead hummingbird and my plants have less bugs on them. I just hang my feeders from shepherds hooks. The mantis seem to have a problem climbing them. I have seen a hb in a spiderweb once. As for children being scared of the mantis, I take my sons outside, pick up whatever they are afraid of (as long as it isnt dangerous) and show them that they dont hurt anything. My son was afraid of cicada shells. He now has a collection. He is 4. Maybe a mix of red pepper and garlic spray will deter the mantis from the feeder area. Birds dont mind it, bugs hate it. I use it on my roses to keep the bugs off.

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