Yes, a praying mantis can eat a hummingbird. Studies show that mantis hunt hummingbirds whenever they get the opportunity and eat them. They attack either due to threat or if they are desperately hungry.
Now, let’s get to know how a mantis is capable of hunting hummingbirds.
Do all Praying Mantis Kill Hummingbirds?
No, mantis that is smaller in size do not hunt hummingbirds, rather, the ones that are 4″ in length, Chinese Mantis, known to be the largest mantis are capable of killing the bird.
What do Mantis Typically Hunt?
Mantis typically are seen to hunt honey bees, butterflies, moths, spiders, wasps, and some flying insects. Often, they are also seen to hunt small vertebrates, such as lizards, frogs, and small snakes. However, when they are extremely hungry, their attack mode develops and they can kill a bird the size of a hummingbird.
Can Praying Mantis Eat Other Birds?
Yes, praying mantis attack birds that are of the same size as the hummingbird, or the ones who visit the nectar sources. They can also attack house finches, goldfinches, chickadees, and wrens, but these birds do not get killed mostly as some have the capability to escape as well.
How Praying Mantis Eat Hummingbirds?
The praying mantis starts with the head, and then moves to the neck and through. They tend to suck the brain, blood, and inner organs of the bird, whereas the feathers, feet, and beak are left out and the bones collapse on the ground. Based on the hunger level, they can de-feather the bird and eat the entire bird. However, how much the bird is eaten by the praying mantis depends on the size, ferocity, and hunger level of the mantis.
Is Praying Mantis Attacking Hummingbirds a Common Occurrence?
No, based on the documented reports, praying mantis attacking hummingbirds is rare and these cases are mostly reported from China, America, and Australia.
Can a Hummingbird Eat a Mantis?
Yes, hummingbirds can eat mantis as they do not only depend on nectar for their food requirement, rather they also feed on tree sap and insects, which includes praying mantis. But, hummingbirds do not purposefully look for mantis to feed, rather, when they get to suck the nectar, they might encounter a mantis. So, many smaller species of mantis pose a threat of being attacked by hummingbirds.
How Does a Praying Mantis Attack?
Mantis usually sit on low-hanging foliage near the feeder and wait for their prey. They are carnivores and the ones that grow up to 5 to 6 inches long can attack hummingbirds. They target birds that are 4 inches or less. They have a camouflage feature and so do not need to stalk the prey. Rather, they sit in one place for a long time, with their powerful forearms folded.
So, when the hummingbird approaches not knowing that a mantis is waiting, the forearms are struck out which have sharp spikes. Mantis pin down the prey by striking through the chest and then devouring its parts, such as blood, organs, and brains. The rest of the unpalatable parts are discarded, including the feathers, bill, feet, and bones.
How to Protect Hummingbirds from Praying Mantis?
Praying mantis are difficult to spot as they have the capability of camouflage. So, they might sit near the feeder without coming to the notice of you or the hummingbird. However, to keep this praying mantis away from the feeder, here are a few tricks that you can try:
- The feeder should be kept away from low-hanging shrubs and trees, but out in the open, so that the hummingbirds can get a clear view of the surroundings and detect any possibility of danger.
- Cover the bird feeder with a feeder cove, so that the mantis cannot sit on the feeder and the hummingbirds can have easy access.
- Keep insects, such as bees, wasps, and other flying insects away from the feeder by investing in an insect guard. You can prevent wasps from coming near the bird feeder by removing yellow-colored flowers or any other yellow item around it.
- To remove sugar content from the bird feeder, clean it regularly so that the praying mantis does not get attracted to it or insects, such as bees that come to feed on the sugar.
- Never introduce praying mantis in the garden to control pests, if you have already installed a hummingbird feeder.
- Avoid using too many pesticides or insecticides. If you spray insecticides in the garden or around the bird feeder, then the insects that praying mantis prey on would decline and they would start attacking hummingbirds for meal.
- You can apply any type of grease, such as petroleum jelly on the pole of the bird feeder so that praying mantis or any other insect cannot climb up the feeder.
How have Environmental Changes Increased the Attack of Praying Mantis on Hummingbirds?
Due to environmental changes, there have been changes in the ecosystem creating a warm and humid climate that is favorable for the praying mantis to thrive and expand. Thus, as the population of praying mantis is growing, they require more prey or food for survival. But most of their natural food spots are getting destroyed or altered due to man-made activities and mantis have to rely on smaller birds, such as hummingbirds for food.
