While snakes are thought to take on many insects, sometimes mammals, nobody would have probably thought that they would be intimidated by someone one third of their size. Yes, that’s true! Praying mantis, measuring only 3 to 4 inches in length, can kill snakes.
Can a Praying Mantis Kill a Snake?
Although snakes aren’t the top item on the praying mantis’ menu they do take on snakes whenever there is opportunity. Mantises are formidable yet patient hunters and will never miss a chance of feasting on animal such as this. Even more, they are the masters of camouflage.
While hanging upside down from its four legs mantises leave no chance for its prey to escape once it comes under the firm grip of its mandibles. People have recorded a couple of footages where mantises killing and eating snakes. We are going to share these footages with you:
How Do Praying Mantises Eat Snakes?
First, praying mantis eats young snakes which are moving among plants. Secondly, since they (mantises) do not have any venom, they will use front mandibles to incapacitate snakes. While doing so mantises can sometimes start eating snakes’ flesh from its body while the snake is alive. That is to say, it’s not uncommon for a mantis to eat live prey.
A mantis will grab the snake’s mouth and keep it as far as possible. A snake will attempt to coil around mantis as much as possible but to no avail. Once praying mantis gets hold of a snake there’s no chance to escape. Once the snake is dead the mantis will begin eating it from the middle of its body.
They have the ability to camouflage in the plants and as the prey comes into their striking range, mantises will attack in no time. Mantids barely give any chance to their prey to notice any danger because they appear almost like plants. This is pretty much the same tactic mantis employs while killing just about any small animal like hummingbirds, geckos, or small rodents.
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