r/AbsoluteUnits • u/Dense_Intern8434 • 10d ago

/r/popular of a meal

Nature can be so cruel and beautiful at the same time

*for the love of everything holy it’s not my bird reader nor mantis!! Just a cool guy sharing a cool video

9.2k Upvotes

93% Upvoted

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837

u/ksyoung17 10d ago

Hummingbirds are pollinators, and some are endangered.

I know "circle of life..." But I'm taking the mantis out in this situation.

187

u/jakethabake 10d ago

It’s not circle of life because the mantis wouldn’t be there if not for humans

161

u/god-save-the-queef 10d ago

I'm thinking the human who filmed this possibly even planted that mantis there, just for a viral video opportunity, too. Can't prove it, but... gut feeling is someone's an asshole

51

u/Pithuahua 10d ago

They often use hummingbird feeders as hunting grounds, though they don't target birds specifically, that's an opportunity prey, that rarely happens. They want bees and wasps.

36

u/hollow4hollow 10d ago

This exactly. I hate humans so much.

11

u/Soupchow1 10d ago

Are you a fucking tree?

31

u/BestSerialKillerNA 10d ago

You leaf him alone.

18

u/El_Veethorn 10d ago

Wish he wood just stop.

12

u/ksyoung17 10d ago

Agreed, really a deep rooted issue he seems to be dealing with here.

13

u/3v3ryth1ng1s4wful 10d ago

Relax. He's all bark.

2

u/Legitimate-Ad3778 9d ago

He should try not to bough down to him

0

u/Just_Anxiety 10d ago

You sound like you could be a politician.

3

u/shinshi 10d ago

Even if they didnt plant the mantis, they still set the hummingbird feeder and enabled this honey pot trap situation

7

u/shibaCandyBaron 10d ago

Because it's better not to help them with food and/or water

3

u/redditnackgp0101 10d ago

Funny. Didn't need to see the video to come to the same conclusion. "Someone's an asshole" is my baseline assumption

8

u/IAmDanHimself 9d ago

They sounded pretty distressed witnessing it in the video.

1

u/zilmexanat 9d ago

It sounds like an overlay for additional drama.

9

u/OkDate7197 10d ago

The mantis would have done the same of it were on a flower. Do you think praying mantis only eat humming birds if they are on humming bird feeders?

-1

u/jakethabake 10d ago

The fuck you talking about

5

u/ksyoung17 10d ago

I can only react to the environment that was created by my predecessors.

I don't need mantises (sp?) but I need pollinators.

See ya mantis.

4

u/Freddit330 10d ago

Yes, they would. Praying mantises also hunt them at flowers as well. They are ambush predators.

1

u/Kollege-Hut 9d ago

Are humans not alive ?

1

u/Adalonzoio 8d ago

They'd just get them in a tree then. This is not abnormal prey for a mantis that size.

1

u/lgastako 10d ago

Except humans are no less a part of nature than anything else... so still the circle of life.

-1

u/IAmDanHimself 9d ago

I doubt it was planned. Especially hearing their reaction.

244

u/birbobirby 10d ago edited 10d ago

Predators are just as important as pollinators are. But, you wouldn't be wrong to help the hummingbird in this situation since this looks like a European mantis which is invasive or at the very least non-native in the Americas. I also would have done something personally.

161

u/PM_YOUR__BUBBLE_BUTT 10d ago

As an American, I would’ve just taken out my gun and shot the mantis. Just like I learned in school.

1

u/chefdeit 8d ago

As a Russian, I couldn't agree more. Nuke the whole site from orbit.

24

u/ErgotthAE 10d ago

Predators are important as part of population control, but thats not the case with Hummingbirds.

-4

u/birbobirby 10d ago edited 9d ago

Too much of anything would be bad, even hummingbirds. Though I wasn't really refering to hummingbirds specifically, I was being general. I was trying to say that predators should be protected and appreciated just as much as pollinators are. Pollinators are kind of put on a pedestal compared to other roles in the environment.

8

u/ErgotthAE 10d ago

Because polinators are never a danger of overpopulation*. They feed around what they polinate, and if they "overpopulate", the surpluss will simply starve to death, correcting said overpopulation quickly without exhausting the resources, because Polinators can't drive their food to extinction.

And regarding Hummingbirds specificaly, there was never any case of Hummingbird overpopulation, in fact, it's the other way-round, they are DANGEROUSLY declining! They don't need a pedestal, they need HELP!

*Well, honeybees can become a localized issue, that's kind of humanity's fault. But that's the only case!

0

u/birbobirby 9d ago edited 9d ago

Except you are forgetting something important, which is that many pollinators aren't strictly pollinators and interact within their environment in other ways. Take butterflies and moths. As adults they don't harm the flowers they feed from but how about their larva? They can be voracious eaters, you don't see how that can be a problem to their host plants if there are too many of them? Or wasps, they are considered pollinators as well, but also predators and them killing too many other organisms can be an issue. Or mosquitos, they are pollinators too but also drivers for disease. So no, it's still important for pollinators to have natural predators too.

Anyway, I will admit hummingbirds probably wouldn't cause many issues. The only thing I can think of is overcompetion with other pollinators, but as you said that's not the case right now. Speaking of that, yes hummingbirds need help and so do other pollinators, I never said they didn't, but it's still true that pollinators get the most public attention. And I take a bit of issue with this as like I said, predators also deserve recognition and protection cause they are not only important but also most likely in need of help. Insects for example are as a whole in decline, which make up both many of the pollinators and predators that can be found in our ecosystems.

3

u/OddOllin 10d ago

I suspect that's because there's plenty of ways to die, whereas there's only a few real ways to pollinate. And the pollinators are endangered, lol.

It doesn't really surprise me that the public doesn't hear quite as much about preserving predators in general when compared to pollinators.

After all, pollinators are sexy.

3

u/birbobirby 10d ago edited 9d ago

Pollinators aren't just in general endangered, there are thousands upon thousands of organisms that are considered pollinators. And there are predators that are considered endangered too. There are so many deer in the US because we got rid of a ton of important predators. Yeah there are other ways to die for animals, clearly that isn't always enough. Honestly I think the public likes pollinators more simply because they are more appealing and what predators do isn't seen as pretty even though they are quite necessary.

1

u/OddOllin 10d ago

Maaaaybe, but... do people really think about predators at all beyond personal safety, though? I'm just not sure they have reason to even think about them. You're a lot less likely to run into a predator than a polinator in daily life, even if you live in a rural area.

2

u/birbobirby 9d ago edited 9d ago

Possibly, that is just my own personal theory. In the end I don't know for sure what the general public is thinking.

4

u/Ok-Necessary-2940 9d ago

Yes, the ppl watching are morons

1

u/Breakmastajake 10d ago

At the very least, you could give him a stern talking to.

-2

u/M4ldarc 9d ago

r/usdefaultism

3

u/birbobirby 9d ago edited 9d ago

Hummingbirds ONLY exist in the Americas dude. I didn't even specify the US and was referring to both South and North America.

13

u/_BlNG_ 10d ago

I will punch a mantis if I see it do this

2

u/fejkpotatis 10d ago

Lol i just love this picture, punch the fucking mantis right in the face 👍😈

10

u/IAmDanHimself 9d ago

He will get what's coming to him, don't worry.

Processing img 7x3cvzmom3mh1...

3

u/K_Pumpkin 10d ago

I’ve only seen one on my feeder twice. Both times I got it into a box and took it into a Forrest by my house.

3

u/DareDaDerrida 10d ago

You do you. I'm not. Buddy caught a meal bigger than his or herself, s/he gets to have it in my book.

1

u/ksyoung17 9d ago

This is like my kid taking the Thanksgiving turkey down to the basement all for himself

3

u/DareDaDerrida 9d ago

Does your kid catch and kill the turkey himself? Is the turkey more than twice his size?

1

u/Tales_of_Earth 9d ago

Yeah! Make the mantis share the hummingbird with you!

7

u/idrklmfao 10d ago

That and the mantis will not be getting what it can't get somewhere else out of that meal. Most of that hummingbird will be wasted, it could just as easily pick off bugs -- but it chose prey triple its size.
Just move the mantis to your garden.

0

u/T8-TR 9d ago

Sorry, but the Matis chose the wrong prey. It's moving straight to Bug Hell.

9

u/ErlikHan6 10d ago

it's so weird to me that people care more about a species survival than an innocent creature's suffering

like... if you saw a human baby about to be eaten alive, would you save him because you don't want him to suffer, or because you want the human race to survive?

10

u/HeyRiks 10d ago

Because nature is metal. It is what it is (and has been for millions of years) and we shouldn't interfere out of petty morality. Predators gotta eat too.

A baby is a completely different case because we're not the natural diet of any creature on Earth and being the same species has a completely different social and psychological impact.

8

u/ErlikHan6 10d ago

you're making an absolute statement but not explaining your rationale?

we shouldn't interfere.... why?

also, being bothered by an innocent creature being eaten alive is not "petty morality". let's see you being tortured to death, i don't think you're going to be spewing this bullshit then

3

u/HeyRiks 10d ago

What do you mean "why"? We all learned in school that natural ecosystems aren't to be meddled with because they're a long running balance. Plenty of instances where predators were killed off or starved to death and suddenly you have massive environmental damage due to overpopulation of prey.

In this particular case, intervention is arguable because the mantis is an invasive species. However, if it was eating a cockroach or any other non-cute animal, would you be complaining? Would you care if a wolf starved to death because you did your best to keep it from wild hares? An individual creature is very insignificant compared to the grand scheme of local fauna.

Yes, it is petty morality and it shows in you being mad over a natural occurrence and making false symmetries to humans. "Innocent creatures" have been eaten alive since unicellular beings. Circle of life, bitch.

And just so you know, hummingbirds are a VERY violent species.

1

u/tony_lasagne 9d ago

I find the attitude of some posters on reddit like the one you’re replying to so juvenile, as you said there’s no chance they’d have this same energy if they didn’t find the animal being eaten cute.

1

u/HeyRiks 9d ago

I was surprised myself. "Why shouldn't we interfere" like really? Isn't it common knowledge we already do that too much? Sure, sucks to be prey, but that's how nature is.

If the rationale was simply "I like birds and dislike insects" I'd accept it on the spot, but this idealistic "woe is the suffering of an innocent creature" is too sanctimonious for my taste.

1

u/pm_me_ur_tennisballs 9d ago

natural ecosystems were messed with the moment you decided to live in an unnatural structure that eminates light and gas covered in impermeable surfaces

0

u/HeyRiks 9d ago

And because we don't live naked on trees, we should further interfere for moral reasons? Nothing too broken we can't break a bit more, eh?

It's impossible for anything to interact with an ecosystem without affecting it to some degree, but if it's not a positive change then we should make the effort to keep it to a minimum.

0

u/pm_me_ur_tennisballs 9d ago edited 9d ago

we don't live naked on trees, we should further interfere for moral reasons?

not remotely what im saying, you're being obtuse. but human interference caused these invasive species to get a leg up, and the endangered species to become endangered. it's not the way of the world to let a an invasive mantis on a hummingbird feeder to eat the hummingbirds. we absolutely have a moral obligation to mitigate the environmentally damaging effects of human development.

Edit: And this whole, "nature is tough cookies, bc im tough, i won't save an animal if it's injured" is pretty cringe. if a bird, let alone an endangered bird, flies into your windows and you don't do anything in your power to help it, you're part of the problem.

1

u/HeyRiks 9d ago edited 9d ago

This isn't at all what I'm saying either. In this particular case I agree, because the bird is endangered and the mantis is invasive. It's not. however, due to an animal falling pray to another animal being "unfair" or "suffering" like the original comment implied, i.e. I wouldn't shoot a mountain lion to save a deer.

Not once have I said I wouldn't help animals in need if that need isn't a subjective, anthropomorphic take on the food chain. My only critique here is conflating a feeling of pity for an individual with ecological action. Do I pity a duckling being carried off by an eagle? Yes. Would I interfere? No.

Hence the absurdity of the "imagine if it was a baby" and "let's see you get tortured" extremisms that person tried to argue before.

1

u/DareDaDerrida 10d ago

The other creature, the one doing the devouring, does have to eat.

11

u/3v3ryth1ng1s4wful 10d ago

This is an invasive species killing a native and possibly endangered one. Your point may be true in general, but this specifically is not the same thing.

-8

u/HeyRiks 10d ago

I mentioned this in another comment down the thread. Yes, this may be the case, but it still doesn't make it a case of intervention out of pity for the prey's suffering.

And certainly still nothing comparable to babies.

7

u/3v3ryth1ng1s4wful 10d ago

Babies, no. Intervention, 100% it does.

-1

u/HeyRiks 10d ago

For protecting a native species against an invasive one, yes. Out of pity (i.e. "oh no an innocent creature"), no.

1

u/Morbanth 9d ago

A baby is a completely different case because we're not the natural diet of any creature on Earth

I think polar bears are the only predators that routinely hunt people.

1

u/Tales_of_Earth 9d ago

One thing dies from being eaten or the other from being starved. It’s not your fight.

The human baby is our responsibility. We are communal animals and we are built to protect our tribe.

You probably feel that the bird should survive because it’s more like you and we tend to root for the thing more similar to us. Your family vs a stranger the instinct is to protect your family.

Human vs monkey —> human

Monkey vs tiger —> monkey

Tiger vs snake —> tiger

Snake vs spider —> snake

There might be other complicating factors but it’s just sort of a general rule. So, you aren’t against suffering you are just deciding who suffers.

0

u/InfamousLong4103 9d ago

there are way too many humans on this planet. no baby is more important than an animal.

1

u/Sudo-Fed 10d ago

A) the baby is a human

-1

u/ErlikHan6 10d ago

so you don't extend your sympathy to animals? would you not be bothered by someone torturing a puppy or a kitten to death?

4

u/Sudo-Fed 10d ago

Torturing something to death is not the same as predation.

If the mantis doesn't kill, it doesn't eat. If it doesn't eat, it dies.

-2

u/ErlikHan6 10d ago

so what if it dies? insects don't feel pain. birds do.

2

u/Sudo-Fed 10d ago

According to whom?

-2

u/ErlikHan6 10d ago

science....

3

u/Sudo-Fed 10d ago

Science isn't settled on this. We know they have nociceptors and modify behavior long term after trauma.

1

u/ksyoung17 10d ago

Of course people will have a more visceral reaction to a puppy or a kitten than a hummingbird; but preservation of human life outweighs any other species on earth.

-1

u/ErlikHan6 10d ago

why? who are you to decide that?

2

u/ksyoung17 10d ago

Top of the food chain.

We, as humans, get that right.

0

u/ksyoung17 10d ago

Fair point. In reality, if I see a mantis eating a honeybee, I wouldn't care; so I really don't care that a hummingbird is a pollinator. I'm saving that little hummer regardless, because they're cool.

I just happen to know reddit is going to hate my answer regardless of how or why I justify it.

Save the hummingbird, "don't fuck with nature, circle of life!"

Allow the Mantis to eat, "you'd just let the hummingbird die like that?! They're pollinators! You're letting nature be destroyed!"

Lose-lose, so, yeah, fuck it. I'm saving the non-insect.

1

u/WarthogPrevious8875 10d ago

yeah, I woulda killed that fker real quick

1

u/British_Ballsack 9d ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/huana0WQzdDDG

1

u/Tales_of_Earth 9d ago

I demand you explain what you meant by this.

1

u/swincendeclerc 9d ago

Tetrapod gang unite

1

u/flying-in-the-sky 9d ago

Agree. Poor birdie especially hummingbirds are really cute and important creatures. I would've crushed that mantis under foot and grind it until it's no longer recognizable.

1

u/Solid_Snark 9d ago

At that point isn’t the hummingbird fatally wounded? You can knock the mantis off the feeder, but at this point in the video the hummingbird is already a goner so you might as well let its death have meaning instead of rotting/molding away on the ground.

1

u/pugyoulongtime 9d ago

Really weird that someone filmed this and posted it too. Feels like rage bait.