Here's something you don't often see (like never).  A praying mantis, size about 2 inches, captures and kills a hummingbird, size about 2 inches .  Eek.  Mother Superior is still shrieking over these pictures.  They, and the accompanying narrative are provided by  Richard L. Walkup, West Chester, PA.  The original story,  sent to me by son Greeper, is here.  --Praying mantis catches and eats hummingbird

The other day while I was working in the yard my son urgently called to me. "Dad, a praying mantis caught a hummingbird!" 

The mantis captures the bird with a swift swipe of its forelegs.

Not sure what to expect, but knowing my son is not one to tell an untruth, I came running to see for myself.  By the time I arrived it was too late for the poor hummer and my scientifically minded son had already begun taking pictures and studying the scene. 

As you can see from the photographs this hungry mantis captured and killed a hummingbird not much smaller than itself.  The hummer measured 2 inches and the mantis was about the same!  The mantis used its spiny left foreleg to impale the hummingbird through the chest while leaving his right leg free.

We surmised that the mantis ran the hummer through and dangled its full weight on its foreleg while he consumed the flesh of the hummingbird from the abdomen.  After he had his fill, the mantis gave his foreleg several swift jerks and freed his leg.

The mantis impales the hummingbird's chest with its foreclaws.

This was an unfortunate experience for the hummer, but we are amazed to realize how fast, precise, and powerful the mantis must be to accomplish such a feat! I have read that hummingbirds had no natural enemies–so much for that theory!