Attack of the praying mantis

[Faulkner]

From PRAYING-MANTIS.org

. . . .Hummingbirds mostly fall trap to mantis when they come to the sugar water to drink.

Yep, I spied another praying mantis brazenly hanging around one of Mrs. Faulkner's feeders this morning.

The hummingbirds are not stupid, seeing this praying mantis in the open the hummingbirds would not stop at this feeder and just went to the other half dozen feeders around the deck. The praying mantis will still pounce on other bugs that frequent the feeders like wasps and bees.

 

[ladder13]

 

[soFlaNative]

Men playing a kid's game, I recall this broadcast.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPT73OW2Q2E&t=118s[/ame]

 

[kamloops67]

Great photos and great photography skills to be able to capture that scene so quickly and clearly
We don’t have those monsters up here thankfully
Are they poisonous like a spider or just bitey like a horse fly ?

 

[Puller]

Great photos and great photography skills to be able to capture that scene so quickly and clearly
We don’t have those monsters up here thankfully
Are they poisonous like a spider or just bitey like a horse fly ?

They are not poisonous, but have forelegs that are greatly enlarged and adapted for catching and gripping prey.

 

[kamloops67]

They are not poisonous, but have forelegs that are greatly enlarged and adapted for catching and gripping prey.

But will they bite people ? That ball player didn’t seem to want it on him lol

 

[Puller]

But will they bite people ? That ball player didn’t seem to want it on him lol

I've handled them many times, even handed them to my kids. Never had one bite.

 

[Faulkner]

I ran across another praying mantis today as it was sitting on my tractor. It wasn't anywhere near my hummingbird feeders but I think it may have been eyeing a crow that was sitting in a nearby tree. This was a big 'un.