The Strangest Hunting Strategies in Nature

Quick Take

• One tiny shrimp creates a bubble hotter than the surface of the sun and uses it to hunt. See the cavitation bubble →
• A spider that never builds a web has still figured out how to lure moths directly into its trap. Meet the lasso hunter →
• One bird hunts exactly like a human fisherman, and it figured this out entirely on its own. Watch the bait fishing →
• The deadliest ambush predator on this list looks like a harmless decorative shell you'd pick up on a beach. Discover the deadly shell →

Many animals have highly effective hunting strategies that have allowed them to thrive for millions of years. These predators rely on speed, sharp claws, or strength to catch prey. However, some animals forego standard hunting strategies. Instead, they evolved methods so strange they almost seem unbelievable. The creatures on this list use deception, teamwork, tools, vibrations, traps, and even biological weapons to find food. Because many animal adaptations evolved in response to competition, these animals developed effective hunting techniques, even if they were quite bizarre. These are some of the strangest hunting strategies found in the animal kingdom.

Archerfish

Like many fish, archerfish hunt insects. Yet they do not limit themselves to bugs on the surface. Instead, these fish shoot jets of water from their mouths to knock insects off tree branches hanging above the water. These remarkable fish can even target insects several feet away with surprising accuracy. Once the unsuspecting insect is hit with the stream of water, it falls into the water, quickly becoming prey. Archerfish might just be the most impressive marksman in nature. 

Bolas Spider

The bolas spider does not build a traditional web like most spiders. Instead, the female makes a sticky glob attached to a silk line. What does she do with this odd device? She swings it through the air like a cowboy lasso. Even stranger, the spider releases deceptive chemicals that mimic female moth pheromones to attract male moths. Once the moth approaches, the spider whips her sticky ball at the victim and reels it in. These tiny eight-legged ladies wield their makeshift lassos just as well as any character from your favorite Western. 

Electric Eel

Electric eels hunt using powerful bursts of electricity capable of stunning prey instantly. Specialized organs inside the eel generate these electrical charges. They employ these shocks specifically to disable fish and other small aquatic animals. In some cases, electric eels even leap out of the water to shock more effectively. Their hunting style allows them to locate prey even in murky water that is difficult to see through. Few predators can use electricity in the wild.

Trap-Jaw Ant

Trap-jaw ants have some incredibly fast-moving body parts. Their massive (for their size) jaws snap shut at high speeds when prey touches sensory hairs near their mouth. Though it’s hard to believe any ant feature could be powerful, the force is strong enough to instantly crush small insects. This ability certainly comes in handy while on the hunt, but these amazing ants have a second use for the adaptation. When threatened, the jaws can act like spring-loaded catapults that launches them away from danger.

Humpback Whale

Humpback whales sometimes use a simple, coordinated hunting strategy known as bubble-net feeding. Groups of whales swim beneath schools of fish while blowing bubbles up towards the surface. The bubbles create a kind of underwater wall that confuses the fish. They believe they are trapped, leading them to congregate into tightly packed clusters. At this point, all the whales have to do to feed is swim upward through the center with their mouths wide open. Watching multiple whales not only cooperate but fool hundreds of fish feels both clever and playful. 

Cone Snail

Many of us don’t think of snails as predators, but the cone snail is actually a deadly sea hunter. This beautifully patterned snail hides a harpoon-like tooth full of venom. The snail launches this tiny sharp weapon into fish, injecting toxins that paralyze the victim. Some cone snail venom is so powerful it can even seriously harm humans. For a pretty, slow-moving mollusk, this ambush hunting method is surprisingly effective.

Antlion Larvae

Antlion larvae hunt by building cone-shaped sand traps. Insect prey doesn’t stand a chance when walking over these pits made of loose sand. And at the bottom of the trap, lies the larva with its jaw exposed and ready to eat. The key to their success is the ingenious way the sand is stacked, which forces too-close victims to slide downward. The antlion then grabs the prey and drags it underneath the sand. Fairly impressive for a critter known as the doodlebug.

Pistol Shrimp

Pistol shrimp hunt using a highly unique method, relying on sound and pressure waves to find food. When they rapidly snap their oversized claw, it creates an extremely hot air bubble. But how hot can a tiny bubble really be? For less than a second, this bubble is so hot it surpasses the temperature of the sun! This scalding air results in a wave that stuns or kills nearby prey in an instant. The snap is also incredibly loud underwater despite the shrimp’s tiny size. It’s like these tiny crustaceans are firing ocean cannons with their claws.

Green Heron

Green herons are one of the few birds known to regularly use tools while hunting. They’re also tricksters. These birds drop insects, feathers, bread, or other small objects onto the surface of the water to lure fish upwards. When curious fish approach the “bait,” the heron strikes with incredible speed. This behavior shows surprising problem-solving ability for a bird. In a sense, green herons go fishing by using bait just like people.

Star-Nosed Mole

There are multiple odd things about this animal, not least of which is its tentacled nose. But this bizarre nose is actually part of an effective, though strange hunting technique. Living underground means vision is less useful, so this species evolved the appendage to hunt by touch, foregoing sight almost entirely. The fleshy nose contains thousands of sensory receptors capable of detecting prey incredibly fast. And when we say “fast,” we mean fast. This mole can identify and eat tiny insects faster than the human eye can follow! Sometimes the most extreme adaptations are the most useful.