Mantis and snake in harmony?

[ConcinusMan]

About 10 days ago I found an adult mantis and put it in the big enclosure with all the big snakes. I didn't know what to expect, or why I did that, but this "bug" snagged a piece of night crawler from the mouth of a big t.s. concinnus girl last night and devoured it.

Today I'm feeding the snakes and this mantis seemed to have caught on that it was feeding time and he rode the back of this big concinnus girl like he was her jockey. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. So, I purposely gave the snake a long piece and sure enough, the mantis rode and climbed up to her neck and snagged a piece hanging off, then graciously rode the snake back down to the bottom of the enclosure.

I kid not. It happened! (no proof)

Incidentally, I've never seen a mantis go for worm either

[guidofatherof5]

Sounds very cool.
Any fear the mantis will bite or injure one of the snakes? It is still capeable of delivery a bite to them.

[ConcinusMan]

At first I had him in the baby tank and I did think of that. And of course, the mantis did try to catch one of the babies. I can tell you he never tried that again! He just hangs out in one of the plants or upside down on the screen top and pretty much just leaves the snakes alone and they leave him alone. At some point the poor thing got hungry and figured out he could steal food from the snakes and he's been doing it ever since. He just rides on their backs waiting for an opportunity.

[Tyrel26]

Well how about you make one of those nice HD videos of it, should be very interesting!

[ConcinusMan]

I'll sure try but it isn't easy.

[Tyrel26]

Nothing worth doing ever is. I hope youre able to get a video tho, would be pretty amazing.

[mustang]

cool now u see the effect of an invasive species (in a non invasive way)...competition

[ConcinusMan]

Oh heck, grasshoppers of several species used to infest any grassy area around here. Now you only see none, or very few so I have definitely seen the effect of the mantids arrival here in the early 90's.

I did make an attempt to video what I told you about. I did get some mantis/snake interaction but like I said, it isn't easy!

I'll post it soon. Converting and uploading to do first.

[ConcinusMan]

Here's a video of mantis and snakes:

[ConcinusMan]

I'll buy some worms today and give it another try. I'll try to catch him in the act of taking a piece from the snakes this time.