Evening star., 1949-11-08
This and That
By Charles f. Tracewell

Dv NH0TIeS Il. fdcetCeU
We are indebted to r. F. L. Of Decatur
street for more information relative to hum
mingbirds killed by praying nantes.
MIR. l.. sends along copy of the July
issue OF the AUX, quarterly journal of orni-
thology.
It contains two items on the subject, one
from Philadelphia. and the other from Col
lege Station Tex.
The one from our nearby city says:
Late in the afternoon Of September II,
1948. saw n1antis poised on an orange
colored zinnia.
when hummingbird few to the flower.
the mantis seized the bird.
I haStened to rescue the bird, but even
after both had been removed to the ground
the mantis would not release its hold.
"As the two were forcibly separated, bits
OF feathers held by the mantis were torn
from the bird. The only blood to appear
was from the bill of the bird"
The item from Texas is as follows:
In September. 1948, my neighbor heard
Shrill bird call early one evening,
Presently she saw several hummingbirds
circling around blossom
"The calls came from one bird that was
being held in the grasp of a mantis poised
on flower.
"She took the struggling bird into her
hands, and it collapsed.
"She watched long enough to see it re-
vive and fly away
There was a spot on its head where
1t was bleeding"
The first note was headed "Hummingbird
Killed by Praying Mantis," and the second,
"Hummingbird Captured by Praying Man.
tis." so it may be presumed that even when
rescued hummer has but $3.50 chance
when it falls into the evil grasp Of the
mantis.
Insects evidently have more muscular"
power than most Of us give them credit
for having.
Ofhand, one might never dream that an
insect could catch and kili-and eat-a bird
OF course, it requires more than just any
old insect. Nothing less, possibly, than Old
Man Mantis. But there must be other large
insects such as mosquito hawks, that could
do 1t.
One would think that the wing power Of
the hummer would save it, and no doubt
it would, If given fair chance.
But the mantis fools 'em.
1t looks so much like leaf that the
hummingbird settles down, either on it, or
very close to it.
The long folded arms Of the curious look
ing insect then dart out, and the notched
foreparts get firm grip in the feathers.
After which, evidently the huttering does
no harm to the insect.
Fear and exhaustion must play consider
able part in the affair. Not only are all
birds subject to this terror but all life, and
no human could say he isn't until he had
been through the fire.
This is the terror that dieth by night,
the panic fear Of all brute creation.
And then, in these particular cases, the
eye Of the mantis has something to do
with 1t.
AS the only insect that can turn It's head
completely around to stare at you, the man
tbs is an insect Of parts a regular devil Of
the group Of living creatures that numbers
more than 10000 different kinds.
He looks with intelligence. too, not just
with ferocity, although there is no doubt the
latter quality must be uppermost in the
mind Of the hummingbird caught by him.
Held in those long, strong arms, and with
those eyes glaring at it, the poor hummer
must think Its last hour has come, as it has,
unless some kind-hearted human being
comes to the rescue. Even then he may
be too late.
This is q good thing for bird lovers to
keep in mind, especially as regards the
smaller ones. Perhaps not even chickadees
or titmice are immune to the grasp OF the
mantis.
Watch should be kept for such cases. and
no one should hesitate to step in. After all,
that is what humanity is best at. We step
In everywhere, not always as well as when
We rescue . helpless hummingbird from the
| grasp Of ruthless mantts.