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Homescience

10 tiny predators that take down beasts 10 times their size

Don’t let their size fool you—these 10 tiny predators are among nature’s most fearless hunters. From ants to beetles, they can take down prey ten times larger using speed, venom, or teamwork.

Sheetal Kumari | July 21, 2025 / 15:32 IST
1/10
Praying Mantis: This sneaky insect ambushes larger prey, even birds and snakes, with lightning-fast attack and deadly forelimbs. (Image: Canva)
Praying Mantis: This sneaky insect ambushes larger prey, even birds and snakes, with lightning-fast attacks and deadly forelimbs. (Image: Canva)
2/10
Bulldog Ant: Native to Australia, it employs venom and violence to kill larger insects—and small animals. (Image: Canva)
Bulldog Ant: Native to Australia, it employs venom and violence to kill larger insects—and small animals. (Image: Canva)
3/10
Bullet Ant: Equipped with one of the most painful stings, bullet ants are able to work together to overpower much larger insects and small animals. (Image: Canva)
Bullet Ant: Equipped with one of the most painful stings, bullet ants are able to work together to overpower much larger insects and small animals. (Image: Canva)
4/10
Trap-Jaw Ant: Its lightning-fast spring-loaded jaws snap shut to decapitate large prey in milliseconds. (Image: Canva)
Trap-Jaw Ant: Its lightning-fast spring-loaded jaws snap shut to decapitate large prey in milliseconds. (Image: Canva)
5/10
Assassin Bug: Pumping lethal enzymes into its prey, liquefying and devouring large prey from the inside out—its deadly name aptly describes its action. (Image: Canva)
Assassin Bug: Pumping lethal enzymes into its prey, liquefying and devouring large prey from the inside out—its deadly name aptly describes its action. (Image: Canva)
6/10
Velvet Ant (Cow Killer): Not an ant at all, but a wasp, it is capable of killing much larger insects with its powerful stinger. (Image: Canva)
Velvet Ant (Cow Killer): Not an ant at all, but a wasp, it is capable of killing much larger insects with its powerful stinger. (Image: Canva)
7/10
Army Ants: Traveling as a unit, these blind hunters overpower prey many times larger through simple coordination and numbers. (Image: Canva)
Army Ants: Travelling as a unit, these blind hunters overpower prey many times larger through simple coordination and numbers. (Image: Canva)
8/10
Antlion Larva: They excavate sand pits to pull in insects much larger, then squish them with concealed jaws. (Image: Canva)
Antlion Larva: They excavate sand pits to pull in much larger insects, then squish them with concealed jaws. (Image: Canva)
9/10
Short-Tailed Shrew: This small mammal employes poisonous saliva to paralyse prey such as frogs, mice, and insects much larger than themselves. (Image: Canva)
Short-Tailed Shrew: This small mammal employes poisonous saliva to paralyse prey such as frogs, mice, and insects much larger than itself. (Representative Image: Canva)
10/10
Tiger Beetle: Fast and ferocious, this beetle chases down and attacks prey several times its own size with killing mandibles. (Image: Canva)
Tiger Beetle: Fast and ferocious, this beetle chases down and attacks prey several times its own size with killing mandibles. (Image: Canva)

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