When a praying mantis attacks: Pirates train adorable insect to accost Giants outfielder

For untold millenia, humankind has worked at elevating itself above nature. Perhaps by building our skyscrapers and ensconsing ourselves in our entertainment rooms, we could believe that we are something greater than the mere flesh and blood which governs our existence. 

And yet, for all our attempts otherwise, still the animals come. Carpenter ants crawl into our kitchens, raccoons dig into our trash cans and birds, squirrels and even alligators invade our baseball stadiums. 

But while other teams have tried to distance themselves from the animal world, the Pirates appear to have trained these animals for their own nefarious purposes. How else can you explain this adorable praying mantis being sent to attack the Giants' Ehire Adrianza and Juan Perez before the two teams squared off on Thursday night? 

A praying mantis rests on the cap of @SFGiants OF Juan Perez during the @Pirates game tonight @ PNC Park. #TribBUCN pic.twitter.com/YpXKZeXN8a

- Christopher Horner (@Hornerfoto1) August 21, 2015

And sure, the mantis may have failed in his first attempt at destroying the Giants outfielder, but as Big Data Baseball proved, the Pirates are nothing if not resilient in their acceptance of new ideas. And while a mantis may not have been strong enough today, who can say what will happen should they introduce it to ... the ooze.