minomantis
Well-known member
So I have two L5 Orchid mantids. Just have a quick question. Does humidity/water have a direct effect on color with the orchid species. I'm pretty sure I have a male and a female or a big female and a smaller female, but from when I got them until right before their L5 molt the smaller one had a noticeable amount of pink on the legs and forarms and the bigger one had a faint pink on the legs. This past weekend starting on Friday morning, I went away and came back Monday night. They both molted Thursday night and there was some water in their enclosure.
When i came back on Monday night I did a quick check to see if they were ok and did a more thorough check up Tuesday morning. The pink in the smaller one turned brownish and more white and the bigger one turned pure white. I must also note that the paper towel in both enclosures were completely dry. I was thinking that maybe the lack of humidity did this.
My other thought is that the smaller one is a male and I know that the males are brown and white, but then my question is do males start showing their color change that early in development? Thank you! Really loving the species!
When i came back on Monday night I did a quick check to see if they were ok and did a more thorough check up Tuesday morning. The pink in the smaller one turned brownish and more white and the bigger one turned pure white. I must also note that the paper towel in both enclosures were completely dry. I was thinking that maybe the lack of humidity did this.
My other thought is that the smaller one is a male and I know that the males are brown and white, but then my question is do males start showing their color change that early in development? Thank you! Really loving the species!
