Comparing a Praying Mantis and a Hummingbird
The Key Factors in a Fight Between a Praying Mantis and a Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are not equipped with fighting skills and a praying mantis will typically win a fight with this bird. A fight between a praying mantis and hummingbird would depend on many factors including physical size and fighting capabilities. Many fights in the animal kingdom are decided by size and strength alone, with even the most cunning animals capable of losing to a larger opponent. That’s why we’re going to look at this fight from many perspectives to surmise which creature stands the best chance.
What Are Key Differences Between a Praying Mantis and a Hummingbird?
The main differences between a praying mantis and a hummingbird are their species and body type. The praying mantis is an insect from the Mantidae family, and hummingbirds are birds from the Trochilidae family. Praying mantises are green or brown insects with an exoskeleton, and they have distinctive features such as wings and raptorial arms that give them their distinctive “praying” look. Hummingbirds are very small birds with long, thin bills, iridescent, colorful feathers, and small wings that they beat up to 80 times per minute to stay aloft. These creatures are very distinct from one another and easy to tell apart, but their differences are more than physical. These animals hunt differently and have completely cognitive abilities!
Physical Features of a Praying Mantis and a Hummingbird
The physical features of a praying mantis and hummingbird give us tremendous insight into the fighting capabilities of these two creatures. By looking at their size, speed, and other factors, we’ll have a good idea of which animal has the greatest advantages over the other when it comes to combat.
Praying Mantis vs Hummingbird: Size
Hummingbirds are larger than praying mantises. Specifically, praying mantises are shorter than hummingbirds overall, and many of them weigh less than the birds, too. Praying mantises will weigh about 0.18oz at their maximum and can stand up to 5 inches tall, but some grow up to 6 inches in rare cases. Hummingbirds grow between 2 inches and 8 inches in height, and they only weigh about 0.07-0.7 ounces. However, depending on the species, you can find bigger praying mantises than hummingbirds. Nevertheless, hummingbirds have the size advantage due to their higher growth potential.
Praying Mantis vs Hummingbird: Speed and Movement
Hummingbirds are faster than praying mantises by a fair amount. Hummingbirds can fly at speeds of 30 mph, but the praying mantis only moves on the ground at 0.5 mph. The males can fly, but not very fast, and the females cannot fly at all owing to their large size. Still, praying mantises have very quick reflexes. Hummingbirds have the advantage in terms of speed and movement.
Praying Mantis vs Hummingbird: Senses
Hummingbirds have great vision that lets them differentiate between colors and shapes and they also hear well. Praying mantises can hear ultrasounds, the echolocation used by bats. They also have amazing vision as the only invertebrate to see in 3D. However, their low-end smell and hearing put them at a disadvantage. Hummingbirds have the sensory advantage against praying mantises.
Praying Mantis vs Hummingbird: Physical Defenses
Hummingbirds only have their speed and ability to fly forward, backward, and upside down as defenses. However, praying mantises can listen for predators and dodge at the last second, or they can use their camouflage. Although males can fly, females cannot. All in all, hummingbirds have more effective physical defenses than praying mantises.
Combat Skills of a Praying Mantis and a Hummingbird
Fighting is the one thing that praying mantises do right. They are highly aggressive and very capable predators. Typically, they will ambush their prey, grab it with their raptorial arms that are lined with spikes, and start eating it alive by tearing chunks of it with its huge mandibles. Hummingbirds are not as adept at fighting. They have long beaks, but they’re not used for combat. Instead, hummingbirds will fly into other birds to scare them away from their nests. They can’t take their full bill and stab it into another creature. In fact, unless it was a fatal hit, the predator’s weight would probably keep them stuck on the ground if they managed to stab a creature.
Who Would Win in a Fight Between a Praying Mantis and a Hummingbird?
A praying mantis would win a fight against a hummingbird. Although it might seem completely counterintuitive to have a bug capable of killing a bird, the fact remains that hummingbirds are ill-suited to killing other creatures. As video evidence suggests, the fight between these creatures would begin with an ambush. The praying mantis would set up near a hummingbird feeder or among flowers and wait for the bird to get close, using its color to blend in. Once the hummingbird is close enough, the praying mantis would spring forth, grab it by the head, and start biting into the tiny bird. The strength and weight of the praying mantis would keep the hummingbird grounded and bite it to death, and that process might take a fair amount of time. Unless the hummingbird somehow used its bill to kill the praying mantis at the outset of the fight, it would not win this battle. However, if a hummingbird spotted a praying mantis heading toward its young and got the first strike, it might stand a chance of winning.