The Tale of a Quail and a Mantis

Sep 15, 2021

It would never happen in real life.

A quail and a praying mantis together?

Except when one is a decorative metal sculpture.

A mantis, a carnivore, is known to eat hummingbirds (in addition to its regular diet of bees and butterflies, et al). And a quail, an omnivore, eats both plants and insects.

"Arthropods (e.g., insects and spiders) are a vital food source for quail in summer and fall, according to Texas A&M's Natural Resources Institute. "They serve as a 'meal ready to eat' (MRE), as they are a crucial source of energy, protein and water for laying hens and growing chicks in particular."

In the real world, a praying mantis and a quail are not a twosome. 

In art world,  yes. This praying mantis climbed to the top of a decorative garden sculpture, looked around, groomed herself, and jumped on another decorative garden sculpture.

If you look closely at one of the images below, though, it appears that the quail and the mantis are one.