PRAYING MANTIS CATCHES HUMMINGBIRD

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http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyardbirds/hummingbirds/mantis-hummer.aspx?sc=birdwireJul2005

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/images/backyard_birds/Mantis_hummingbird.jpg

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 02:10 (twenty years ago)

fucking insane. does it have binocular vision or what?

― vahid (vahid), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 02:17 (twenty years ago)

"my scientifically-minded son" = "creepy little death-obsessed twerp"

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 02:44 (twenty years ago)

You don't have to be creepy, death-obsessed or a twerp to find such a spectacle fascinating.

Or, at least I hope not.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 02:48 (twenty years ago)

No, but that's what I read when a father starts to explain why his kid immediately started taking pictures.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 02:50 (twenty years ago)

I laff b/c the link at the bottom is for a book called "Enjoying Hummingbirds More". Yeah, like SAUTEED IN ORANGE SAUCE.

― Laurel, Tuesday, 16 August 2005 02:57 (twenty years ago)

Hells yeah I would have taken photos too! Amazing! It would have freaked me out. Thats one huge mantis for starters. It'd be like seeing a fricking spider chowing down on a bird or a kitten in yer yard - you'd be all WTFOMG WHERE IS MY CAMERA.

...er, well I would anyway.

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 04:21 (twenty years ago)

OK maybe not a kitten. I dont know why I said that.

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 04:21 (twenty years ago)

so so Freudian

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 04:28 (twenty years ago)

Or, in my case, goth.

...right?

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 04:33 (twenty years ago)

We currently have a hummingbird frequenting our backyard, my wife is enamored of it, and I am quite, quite sure I will never show her this picture.

― M. V. (M.V.), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 04:34 (twenty years ago)

I for one welcome our mantis overlords.

― Leeeeeeee (Leee), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 05:20 (twenty years ago)

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

― donut ferry (donut), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 05:33 (twenty years ago)

http://gs.tremont702.us/praying%20mantises.JPG

― donut ferry (donut), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 05:34 (twenty years ago)

that is sort of why i asked about binocular vision: i am trying to figure out how this dude can track an object like that. i thought insects were all about distributed intelligence and stuff: just run around aimlessly and eat whatever you bump into rather than actually focus and hunt.

if a mantis can catch a frog or a bird or a mouse, does that mean it's as smart as a bird or a frog or a mouse? if you bred a mantises as big as dogs or bears, would they end up as smart as dogs or bears? can we train mantises to do tricks? will they be domesticated? how long will it take?

― vahid (vahid), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 05:38 (twenty years ago)

also key: are there insect "furries"? where can i find mantis slash?

― vahid (vahid), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 05:38 (twenty years ago)

http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~jloucks/Bridget%20with%20Robo%20Mantis.jpg

― David Merryweather Goes To Far (scarlet), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 09:56 (twenty years ago)

Insect furries should be called "Chitins"

Invertebrate verus vertebrate round 2, 2-0 to the arthropods.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 10:54 (twenty years ago)

http://www.intarwebnet.com/trax/fredrik_manboobs.jpg

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 11:18 (twenty years ago)

http://www.live-evil.com/notzorak.gif

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 12:29 (twenty years ago)

http://members.aol.com/essobmcc/brakbook/tees/s-zorak.gif

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 12:30 (twenty years ago)

I think they used the hottt pink rubber gloves in the background to set up the photo. If they don't fit, you must acquit (this innocent mantis of hummingbird murder).

― Hunter (Hunter), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

"mantis-hummer.aspx"

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 14:09 (twenty years ago)

i don't really believe the story behind that photo. when i was about 11 years old, there used to be praying mantises of about that size all around the house we lived in. we used to make them "race" each other etc., but fact is their claws kind of catch on things pretty easily so you can easily make them "grab" stuff. what i figure is that this kid found a dead hummingbird and tried to feed it to the mantis that just latched on enough to suspend the thing there. funny too how the story claims it was eating the bird but there are neither photos showing such a thing nor any that show it being able to lift the bird at all. also i could be wrong, but it seems incorrect that impaling things is the way a mantis kills. not to mention that humming birds are lightning fast. i know i hate fun and shit, but this has got to be bogus.

― Kim (Kim), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 14:25 (twenty years ago)

hmm did a quick bit of research, and i suppose this could be possible. there seem to have been other cases of such things, mainly as a mantis would be prey for most birds and thus they strike out at them, but i'm still skeptical about that whole impaling business.

― Kim (Kim), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

oh haha i forgot to caption my post

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 14:45 (twenty years ago)

it was meant to be

PRAYING MANTITS CATCHES HUMMING BIRD

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 14:47 (twenty years ago)

That's okay, I got the "mantits" part.

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

Why don't you post a pic of them?

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 15:22 (twenty years ago)

i didnt, i had to look at the pictures info and was like "manboobs wtf"??!

― ambrose (ambrose), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 15:23 (twenty years ago)

Mark! No one's ever asked me to put 'em on the glass before! *blush*

― The Ghost of Black Bashfulness (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 15:24 (twenty years ago)

"This was an unfortunate experience for the hummer, but we are amazed to realize how fast, precise, and powerful the mantis must be to accomplish such a feat!"

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 16 August 2005 22:35 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, death at the claws of a praying mantis, kind of unfortunate if it happens to you. I love when people refer to death like it's an inconvenience. Double points if it's your own.

― mike h. (mike h.), Wednesday, 17 August 2005 00:10 (twenty years ago)

four years pass...

i made this video about t.i.

http://vimeo.com/13706958

― titchyschneiderhouserules (s1ocki), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 15:56 (fifteen years ago)

Nice! I love the way they hold their bodies still while flapping like crazy and looking around at the same time.

― i find music confusing and annoying (Ned Trifle II), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 16:32 (fifteen years ago)

u know i do that too

― titchyschneiderhouserules (s1ocki), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 16:33 (fifteen years ago)

when I chirp shawty chirp back

― chuck entertainment cheese (crüt), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 16:40 (fifteen years ago)

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