Black widows are some of the most feared spiders on the planet.
Drawn to warmer climates, black widows are widespread throughout the southern areas of the United States, but can be found in most of the lower 48 states. They make homes in wood piles, tree stumps, and other nooks and cranny’s where they think they won’t be disturbed, but if they are, it’s a bad day for whoever scared them.
Oddly enough, only female bites are truly dangerous for humans. According to Michigan State University, less than 1% of bites are fatal, sadly most of which are children. Despite the bite being mostly non-lethal, the venom still causes widespread pain, muscle spasms, high blood pressure, and perspiration.
Well, a man in Texas was outside one day when he stumbled upon one of these creatures, and while that’s typically enough to cause a bit of excitement, this situation was far, far crazier.
The black widow had trapped a venomous coral snake in its web and was in the process of administering the fatal bite. From the other videos of spiders taking out snakes, we can assume the serpent put up a hell of a fight, but once it was stuck in the strong web, it was all but over.
Unfortunately for the spider, he wouldn’t be around long enough to enjoy the spoils of his labor, as the man taking the video said he was going to be meeting his shovel in the very near future, but still an incredible display of nature and proves that it’s not always size that wins fights.
Keep an eye out for both spiders and snakes, you don’t want to be on the receiving end of one of their bites…
Brown Widow Spider Attacks Brown Snake
If spiders were the size of dogs, we’d be in some serious trouble…
Up until a few weeks ago I was under the impression that pretty much all snakes could easily take out pretty much all spiders.
Sure, you might have a mismatch with a tarantula and a brahminy blind snake, but on the whole I thought the scale would tip heavily in favor of those with no arms.
But the more videos I see like this, the more I’m thinking I’m wrong…
After watching a red back spider take out a brown snake, I kept doing some digging and found a lot more examples of arachnids coming out on top of reptiles.
But most of those took place in Australia, how do the good old boys from America hold up?
Not much better.
A few years ago, the owner of a house in Georgia captured an epic battle between a brown widow spider and a brown snake.
Black widows are widely known as one of the most dangerous on earth, but in general that’s a loose term given to all Latrodectus, which counts 34 species. Spoiler alert, the brown widow isn’t any nicer…
The snake was probably trying to grab an easy meal when it found itself stuck in the unbreakable binds of a spider web.
This is one of the strongest ones I’ve ever seen, just the thickness of the strands gives me the creeps.
Once the spider is able to crawl down and deliver a lethal dose of venom, it’s all over.
Another win for the spiders and more second thoughts on my understanding of the food chain.
Praying Mantis Grabs Hold Of A Snake
That is insane.
I know that these bugs are notorious for doing things like, but every time I see it, it still amazes me.
Praying mantises are insects that are known for their distinctive appearance and predatory behavior. These insects are found throughout the world and are famous for their unique ability to turn their heads almost 180 degrees to look around.
Praying mantises are carnivorous insects that prey on a wide range of other insects and small animals. Their diet can include flies, crickets, moths, and even small vertebrates such as lizards and birds. Praying mantises are known for their hunting abilities, using their powerful front legs to grab and hold their prey. Once they have caught their prey, they will consume it alive, often starting with the head.
While it may seem unlikely for an insect, some species of praying mantises are known to take out snakes.
A snake is seen slithering along a log as it comes across a praying mantis. The mantis squares up and is ready to take on the snake, that although is small, it is much longer.
The snake recognizes the danger and decides to proceed with caution. It tries to get around the insect, but is unable to evade it. In one final attempt, the snake tries to get by but gets latched onto by the praying mantis.
The mantis begins to eat the snake as it is still fighting to get out of the tight grip. Eventually, the snake can’t fight and completely gives in as the mantis happily feeds away.
That is wild.
Praying Mantis Grabs A Flying Humming Bird
Holy sh…
I never would have thought a bug would be picking hummingbirds out of mid air, right off the feeder.
But here I stand corrected…
Praying mantises might just be the craziest bugs on planet Earth, known for their distinctive, rotating triangular heads, their long, spindly legs, and them big ol’ claw-like front legs.
These insects are known for their amazing hunting abilities, with a diet that consists mainly of other insects, but they are also known to take out much larger prey.
Mantises will eat spiders, frogs, lizards and even small birds.
Like hummingbirds…
Skilled hunters that use their camouflage and lightning-fast reflexes to ambush their prey, they use their long, serrated front legs to grasp their prey and hold it in place while they feed. They are also capable of turning their heads completely around to keep a close eye on their prey, which makes them incredibly effective hunters.
Praying mantises are highly adaptable insects that are able to thrive in a variety of habitats, from forests and meadows to gardens and urban areas. They are also able to adapt their hunting strategies to suit their environment, switching from ambush hunting to stalking or pursuit when necessary.
These are some killer bugs.
Exhibit A:
This praying mantis is seen hanging out on the hummingbird feeder as a hummingbird comes in for a feed.
The unsuspecting bird hovers and drinks in the sweet water, and boom… the praying mantis strikes. It nails the bird, and clamps down as the bird tries to fly away. But, the mantis uses every bit of grip and holds on to both the bird and the feeder.
It gains control and quickly has itself a meal in one of the most impressive hunts I have ever seen take place in the wild.
You don’t need to go to Africa to see some wild, National Geographic kind of animal encounters…. just look in your own backyard.
