Photo: Sharon Fullingim
National Geographic reader Sharon Fullingim took this fantastic photo of a praying mantis catching a hummingbird (and believe it or not, this isn’t the first time we’ve featured such a story). Moral of the story? Don’t ever mess with a praying mantis.
From the National Geographic user submitted Daily Dozen (September – Week 1, no direct URL I’m afraid) – Thanks Marilyn!
FishBottleT
WOW and it is not even scary like those huge spiders that eat birds. Good thing we are not on their menu.
Foreigner1
Amazing picture.
The thing that gave me a deep respect for the force of nature was in Indonesia when I saw this spider no bigger than a pinhead that somehow had conquered a bird the size of this humming-bird. The locals told me that that little spider could incapacitate a human for at least 12 hours...
Justin in Ottawa
That's amazing. You don't think of insects preying upon birds, but the hummingbird is pretty small and the mantis is pretty big and...whatever got into the insect's head to get up on the bird feeder, though?
Gail Pink
I hope it didn't kill the little bird!
Skipweasel
D'yer reckon he's been listening to Obama's speech about aiming high and not giving up?
Lots of bemusement on this side of the pond. Can't think what all the fuss is about - politico encourages children to work hard at school for the good of themselves and the country? Ain't that what politicos are supposed to do?
TheDiversePurse
Who knew they were THAT strong?
Kalel
The hummingbird didn't have a prayer.
Faizal
Awesome shot. Poor hummingbird!
cenoxo
Here be dragons...
wigglesPEsquire
My god, nature is terrifying.
John Woods
Wow, that is truly amazing!
Dale Clark
I would own that bugs face
BlitzWing00
Isn't that wasteful...how much of the bird can the Mantis actually eat of it? Or is the Mantis going to save the food?
kinzi
I think the bird is on its way to build its nest. Poor hummingbird.
Marilyn Terrell
Here's a YouTube video I found of a praying mantis trying to catch a hummingbird (with sound effects): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQVWcNBwbS8
Foreigner1
BlitzWing00 in nature nothing is wasteful- The mantis caught the bird and eats part of it- The rest gets eaten by a hoard of other animals that thrive by that catch. In no time the total bird including feathers and bones will be devoured and recycled into nature itself.
Justin
But as far as the mantis is concerned he couldn't care less if it did go to waste.
There is a video out there of a pod of orca whales chasing down and killing another baby whale. In the end all they ate was its tongue and left the rest to rot.
Sara Braverman
Beware of the Mantis!! Would make a GREAT HORROR flick!!
Loomis
Im not taking the time to look it up but I THINK that's the H-bird's tongue sticking out. Seeing how they drink and/or eat from flowers(again, I think). So it may not on its way to build a nest.
SenorMysterioso
and theyre hanging from a feeder
Paul E
intersting i did not know they were that strong
Bender B.
The size differential is irrelevant.
Some day, no matter how big each of us is, we will all be eaten by tiny worms and flies.
stange
The real tragedy is, if the bird isn't eaten by others, it will decay, giving off gasses and contributing to the global warming problem. Gore should address this crisis immediately.
Stanley Ekwugha
That's wonderful. Nature keeps on unravelling itself to us. We are nothing but students of nature. This world is college. Learn something before you quit.
runcible
Why does the bird's protruding tongue curve upward against gravity? Rictus or Photoshop?
i will own world of warcrap
yes well you seem to wonder how the tounge is point up like it is this photographer took it the instant the manting struck at first the bird had been dinking some sugar stuff from the feeder then bam prayin mantis strike oh and the final report for today
P E T A is do for the entire group to go to hell
those looney hippies whining about global warming gasses are just high retards are mental ppl cuz its a part of this cycle ice age and such duhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!
and that is all for today and goodnight well for me....
ps. meat rulez
hanyujoys
Support of the Lou Zhu, Lou Zhu worked hard
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Nothing is impossible for a willing heart.
ugg classic cardy
desing
I admit it, I killed that hummingbird with a fly swatter and fed it to the mantis.
Green Mantis
Train in the internal martial arts and earn Southern Praying Mantis training. Green Mantis Kung Fu is in AZ (480)782-9393
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