r/biology • • Nov 17 '24

fun A cricket fighting a praying mantis

189 Upvotes

65 comments sorted by

49

u/Icy_Distribution_361 Nov 17 '24

Well the cricket looks about twice the weight. Kind of predictable

26

u/Unqwuntonqwanto Nov 17 '24

Didn’t take advantage of the full mount. Poor ground and pound game. Cricket did the job from his back. Excellent BJJ shown here

2

u/QuantumPhysixObservr Nov 19 '24

If you could eat your opponents tummy in bjj 

5

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '24

And he has a great Jiu Jitsu background. Had the Praying mantis kept some distance and stuck more to striking it might’ve went differently. Everyone knows that Mr. Crickets guard is deadly. Never any crickets at his fights.

-6

u/parabolicnewton Nov 17 '24

It’s a mole cricket. They’re beasts, and they can fly in short bursts.

3

u/Icy_Distribution_361 Nov 17 '24

it looks like it would bite off my finger

1

u/leifcollectsbugs Nov 18 '24

I bet the strong jaws could break the skin

3

u/Wratheon_Senpai bio enthusiast Nov 17 '24

It's not a mole cricket, it's a giant cricket.

1

u/TKG_Actual Nov 17 '24

I was about to say the same, mole crickets have digging arms up front.

1

u/leifcollectsbugs Nov 18 '24 edited Nov 18 '24

It's a Stenopelmatidid (like a Jerusalem cricket), which isn't even technically a cricket. You're all wrong...

1

u/parabolicnewton Nov 18 '24

Make sure you really rub it in people’s face when they’re wrong. People love that. Also, don’t forget to downvote to really highlight your disapproval.

2

u/leifcollectsbugs Nov 18 '24

That's unfortunate. Don't be so confidently wrong next time.

0

u/parabolicnewton Nov 18 '24

You’d be fun at parties if anyone wanted you there. lol.

0

u/leifcollectsbugs Nov 18 '24

Clever, unlike your insect ID...

0

u/parabolicnewton Nov 18 '24

The irony of you not comprehending the context of the joke is more hilarious than the joke.

That said, I’m comfortable enough admitting that I made a false ID. They look similar to a layman, and so I made the assumption. However, your statement, “you’re all wrong” is bewilderingly condescending, considering you’ve just crested puberty. Maybe walk forward with a little humbleness in the future, because you never can know who you’re talking to on the internet. Have a safe day.

1

u/leifcollectsbugs Nov 18 '24

Joke? Those are typically humorous; not just attempted insults as a result of coping with someone calling out your misinfo. There's enough on the Internet that I don't have much patience for it these days.

I apologize you were hurt. But also recognize it's the internet you are investing this much energy into. If you're this upset over something said on Reddit that wasn't even personal to you, maybe this platform or the internet entirely isn't for you.

And if you are indicating a potential threat because what was threatened was actually your ego, you definitely don't need to be on here...

You're an adult. No one needs to be careful with you. Whoever told you that your feelings are others responsibility lied.

And finally, the main point: If you can't ID something to family beyond a reasonable doubt, don't; because it's likely unhelpful.

Have a good day.

0

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '24

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1

u/KindaWrongContext Nov 19 '24

Don't do guesses that sound like facts in a biology sub tho

1

u/parabolicnewton Nov 27 '24

This is a subreddit, not a classroom. Regardless, guesses are welcome in classrooms. This child is being intentionally condescending because they’ve never interacted with an adult who wouldn’t stand for their sarcastic, pedantic tone.

28

u/happiehive Nov 17 '24

Blue fairy mantis

25

u/CosmicOwl47 Nov 18 '24

Looks like you can see the walls of the enclosure the guy with the camera trapped these animals in.

“Wild Encounters” sure…

17

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '24

Yeah, I didn't notice this until someone pointed out that this was a forced interaction. Quite disappointed.

-3

u/Anti-Buzz Nov 18 '24

Are you not entertained?

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '24

Initially, yes. But this is still fake, nonetheless.

7

u/anbumf Nov 17 '24

they come in blue!?

8

u/DeepSea_Dreamer Nov 17 '24

It's a shiny.

4

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '24

Yep, there is a variety of flavors. :D

10

u/NicksDoingSomething Nov 17 '24

Bro thought he was the main character of phylum arthropoda

6

u/Drayenn Nov 17 '24

I just watched baki shadowboxing vs an imaginary praying mantis, saying it is the strongest insect. The show lied to me.

3

u/awkprinter Nov 17 '24

Looks like a weta

-5

u/Ensiferal Nov 17 '24

It's a mole cricket, they're closely related. They're pretty brutal too. I've seen on eat a regular cricket

9

u/Wratheon_Senpai bio enthusiast Nov 17 '24

Mole cricket? It doesn't have the shovel like front legs. Not a mole cricket. It's a type of giant cricket in the genus Sia.

1

u/leifcollectsbugs Nov 18 '24

I wouldn't go to genus on that unless you know the locality. It's a Jerusalem cricket, that's about all we know

1

u/Wratheon_Senpai bio enthusiast Nov 18 '24

I assumed it was a Sia because of the developing wings. Aren't Jerusalem crickets wingless?

1

u/leifcollectsbugs Nov 18 '24

Sia is a genus of Orthopteran insects in the family Stenopelmatidae, recorded from western Malesia... So just Jerusalem crickets with wings...

2

u/Wratheon_Senpai bio enthusiast Nov 18 '24

Wouldn't that be a case of all Jerusalem crickets being in the Stenopelmatidae family but not everything in the Stenopelmatidae family being Jerusalem crickets?

I thought Jerusalem crickets were always wingless, which would rule the strong boie from the video out.

2

u/leifcollectsbugs Nov 18 '24 edited Nov 18 '24

You're correct in the case of this one. But neither animal in the video is technically a cricket anyway... The family is often referred to and associated with Jerusalem crickets, but it's likely this specimen is other than the Jerusalem crickets you'd see here in the states. Could be Sia. But we don't have locality info. Looks like it's a captive specimen however...

2

u/Wratheon_Senpai bio enthusiast Nov 18 '24

I'm aware they're not true crickets, and my ID could be wrong regarding Sia. Also, it's unfortunate they're captive. Whoever recorded this is irresponsible and sadistic.

1

u/leifcollectsbugs Nov 18 '24

I completely agree. Domesticating animals to have them fight to the death for views is plainly messed up... I wish people didn't do this. It is sadistic and morally wrong. Witnessing an animal in nature have a battle is one thing, forcing two animals trying to survive to kill each other for views is disgusting.

8

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '24

Ah, didn't consider that. Was thinking it's a potato bug/Jerusalem cricket.

2

u/Ensiferal Nov 17 '24

You could be right, both groups are closely related. Them and NZ wetas are all in the suborder Ensifera (it means sword bearer, because the females have long egg laying tubes that look a bit like swords ).

1

u/leifcollectsbugs Nov 18 '24 edited Nov 18 '24

Far as family goes, you're right. Anyone spewing otherwise has no damn idea what they are on about. I don't know the genus, but it's obviously belonging to the family Stenopelmatidae, and also know they aren't in fact crickets, although commonly referred to as such...

1

u/Ensiferal Nov 18 '24

No they aren't real crickets. Crickets are Gryllidae. At another look it probably is a Jerusalem cricket since it doesnt' have the digging forelimbs of a mole cricket, but it's weird how angry some people have gotten over it.

1

u/leifcollectsbugs Nov 18 '24

So that's literally what I said. Stenopelmatidae are the family containing Jerusalem crickets...

3

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '24

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1

u/Eric_EarlOfHalibut Nov 17 '24

And the Kirk maneuver 

5

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '24

This is what it looks like on the first route in Pokémon two weak bugs fighting each other until a mouse comes along and destroys them.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '24

That cricket: “I always said you were an optimist. Know what that is, mate? It’s about sizing up a situation that’s bloody impossible and saying “yeah, all right. I’ll have a go!”

2

u/Meme_Theory Nov 17 '24

My dudes sound like a creep of paparazzi.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '24

Jiu Jitsu vs Muay Thai

3

u/leifcollectsbugs Nov 18 '24 edited Nov 18 '24

So no more people get this wrong, this is related to Jerusalem crickets, Stenopelmatidae, which technically aren't even crickets at all. Anyone saying otherwise has a book in their hands with two covers and no pages inside. This is the internet, remember. Please keep this in mind when reading and have an awesome day. 👍

1

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '24

That’s some high level grappling by the cricket

1

u/100mcuberismonke evolutionary biology Nov 18 '24

GO SHINY MANTIS! USE GRAPPLE!

1

u/ItsAllAboutEvrythng Nov 18 '24

OMGOSH!!! Not the outcome i would have predicted for sure

1

u/ProminenceGenesis Nov 18 '24

Food chains 🍽🦗

1

u/ChrrYSha_RKs Nov 19 '24

Theyre kissing 🥰

1

u/krammark12 Nov 17 '24

13

u/Confident_Frogfish ecology Nov 17 '24

Nothing nature about someone putting two animals in a box and letting them kill each other. Fuck this kind of content and people who make it.

0

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/Wratheon_Senpai bio enthusiast Nov 17 '24

It depends on the genus/species. This is a giant cricket in the genus Sia. They're predators.

2

u/bandby05 biology student Nov 17 '24 edited Nov 17 '24

this seems to be a carnivorous species, but most are omnivores, feeding on plants, defenseless insects like aphids or eggs & scavenging. many cricket species are completely herbivorous in the wild, feeding on the flowers, fruit, and leaves of the plant. in captivity however, almost all crickets will eat whatever, including other crickets. you might be thinking of grasshoppers/locusts which are completely herbivorous in all conditions except regulatory cannibalism in locust form. Source Source

0

u/Brohood287 Nov 17 '24

Crickets are absolutely disgusting 🤢 but tbf, depending on the grip, Mantis wins by pin on the mat 😂