You need to get out more /s
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I’m still rooting for the mantis. If I see a mantis losing to a hornet on the sidewalk, I’d step on both to get rid of the F’er and put the beautiful creature out of pain.
GIANT HORNET VS. PRAYING MANTIS REPORT
After sampling 50(!) videos, here are the stats:
Duplicates (re-uploaded versions of other videos here): 12
Result voided (either a regular hornet, or unfair circumstances): 7
Mantis and Hornet wouldn’t fight: 2
Hornet wins: 14
Mantis wins: 13
Draw: 2
13 of Hornet’s 14 wins were in-nature videos
9 of Mantis’s 13 wins were in-nature videos
The Mantis seems to do better in artificial circumstances (enclosures) winning 4-1
In general, the Mantis wins if it strikes first and gets ahold of the Hornet so the Hornet can’t move. Otherwise the Hornet outwrestles the Mantis and wins.
Another observation: Fights that occur on the ground in the open overwhelming went to the hornet, whereas most of the videos where the mantis wins occur in plants, probably because the mantis caught the hornet off guard.
Pretty close, overall.
edit: THIS was by far the best Hornet vs. Mantis fight video, even though I voided the result
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I got some last month. I put the egg balls in a little 1 gal aquaiurm (with some straw and branches) and they hatched. Then I put in some fruit flies (okay a small jar with a banana peel in it covered with fruit flies) .
I never saw them doing any head ripping. But they were growing and a few escaped into the house (which I kinda like…And hope they eat roaches)
Well, the SO finally said ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and dropped them on the compost pile.
I don’t think it’s quite warm enough for them yet. But maybe the compost will keep them warm: Stay Safe; Little Grabby, General Exo, and the Mandiblelorian.
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“Up next: watch a leopard attack a dog”. Yeah, no thanks.
Well sleep, you will be missed.
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The enemy of my enemy is my friend, or my even more terrifying enemy? 
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From now on I will not be checking out BoingBoing at the same time as I’m eating breakfast.
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My takeaway: never bring a pair of knives to a chemical weapons fight.
Edit - Now I’ve seen your video tally, and I’d like to revise my answer:
Pull your knives and take your chances.
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#metaanalysis
I suspect that my naive extrapolation from rat models makes toxicologists cry; but the “Giant Murder Hornet vs. Rat” footage fills me with concern for the prospects of Team Mammal. Rats can be pretty feisty when so motivated, they aren’t just bigger more cuddly mice; and it looks like the only reason the hornet didn’t finish the job was to allow it to suffer longer.
Nope, always leave the sting ‘til the end, it makes a great toothpick!
I just love the neat, almost fastidious way the mantis works it’s way through the hornet, you almost expect it to ask for a napkin to wipe its mouth when it’s finished. And maybe a finger bowl too.
The world needs more mantises.
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Sounds horribly like Trump!
“I never thought mantises would eat MY face” sobs hornet who voted for the Mantises Eating Hornets’ Faces Party.
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