DEAR JOAN: A few years ago, I was a little surprised to find a happy, healthy praying mantis in my fuchsia bush. I even snapped a few pictures. Now, I’m finding more in the same fuchsia but this time, they’re much closer to — and sometimes actually on — one of my hummingbird feeders.
While out near the feeder the other morning, we heard a loud commotion coming from inside the fuchsia and, after a few seconds, a hummer came darting out.
What, we thought, could that have been all about? A quick trip to Google and we have an answer, we think. Praying mantises are devout carnivores, and hummingbirds, frogs, salamanders and snakes are all on the menu for these patient predators. I might add, they are also capable of inflicting a little pain if you pick one up for a trip to the other side of the yard.
As I invest more than a little time trying to attract hummingbirds, I’m wondering if you have any ideas about protecting them from becoming a very substantial meal for one mantid.
Dave Rockhold
El Cerrito
DEAR DAVE: A very large and very hungry mantis might capture and kill a hummingbird, but it’s rare.
Mantids are about the same size as a hummer, but a hummingbird would be about eight times larger than the insect’s usual food. When you find a praying mantis on the feeder, it likely is after the bees and wasps that also are attracted to the feeders.
Something upset the hummingbird, however, and with the drought, perhaps the mantid decided it was big enough and hungry enough to give it a try.
You can protect your hummers by moving the feeder away from the fuchsia and any other trees or shrubs where mantids might hang out. You also can install a wide cover above the feeder.
Whenever you see a mantis on the feeder, use a stick to remove it and take it to another part of the yard.
DEAR JOAN: You will probably think this is crazy, but we have purple or house finches eating the screens on the back of our house that face the bird feeders. None of the other screens have been touched.
The birds have made holes, which they continue to widen, mostly along the bottom and the sides, although some are in the middle of these 30-year-old screens, which are not the old metal ones. Some of the holes are so big we fear they will soon be able to come into the house.
There are no bugs to be seen on the screens. Obviously, we will have to have the screening replaced at some point. We would prefer to find out the cause before doing that. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Evelyn Murphy
Bay Area
DEAR EVELYN: I thought maybe you were starring in your own private version of “The Birds,” but I did a little research and found several reports of birds — mostly finches — pecking holes in window screens.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a good explanation as to why. Some experts reasoned the birds were using the screens to make nests, but it’s not nesting season.
Because the screens are on the same side of the house as the feeders, I think it’s likely there’s a connection. Finches are very fond of salt, so perhaps they are getting it from your screens.
Try putting a salt block out for them and see how it goes.
Contact Joan Morris at jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com. Follow her at Twitter.com/AskJoanMorris.
