# Help diagnose mantis please! Parasite?



## n4c (May 14, 2022)

Hi there,

i hope someone can help me figure out what may be the issue with my mantis (Pseudacanthops lobipes) i have posted a video for viewing so anyone could take a look. when you watch the video, you notice that abdomen is very flat. it stop eating about 4 days ago. between the scales you also see something black seeking out thru out it and of course the spotty black spots. also under the legs you see that it is red which i believe its from using its legs with all its strength, when what it is inside begins to pull the mantis in the opposite direction, as you'll see a few times in the video.

this issue came about out of no where. a couple of weeks ago i had a total of 12 mantis for sometime without any issues at all. then out no where absolutely all 12 became sick with the same exact issue. i didn't even have time to separate any of them because when i looked at all of them they all pretty much were all sick. whatever this thing is, it worked prettttttty fast. i put a few down because i could not bare to see them struggle to pull themselves away from whatever it was pulling them in the opposite. watching their mouths flare out, almost as if they were releasing a silent scream that i could not hear. i am assuming that it is a parasite responsible for all this. my first thought it was Horsehair Worm. i dont have to much knowledge on the parasite but i thought that when the mantis dies, the worm makes its way out of the mantis but there were 2 mantis that past a way and nothing came out. does the worm need to reach full maturity then it comes out, no matter if the mantis is dead or not? what was strange was, when i checked my feeders (meal worms, fruit flies, and house flies) they to seemed to be victims as well. all 3 feeders can be seen getting pulled the opposite direction. but in those cases as well, once dead, nothing came out. since those host are smaller. does it growing inside kill them, but since it did not have appropriate space to grow to full size, does it die as well? i did see, at some point, mainly during the early stage tiny little white worm like, seek between each animals scales, then return back inside. then later on black worms peek out then go back in through the scales. im assuming the white was the parasite during its younger state, then turn black as it grew

i decided to spray, one spray of water to see what would be the reaction, and the mantis definitely would tweak out. i also tried to feed the mantis honey and whatever was inside DID NOT like that very much. bending and twisting the mantis in any direction it pleased. what im trying to understand is that...is the issue airborne? because the moment i bring any new mantis into my bedroom, or any kind of feeder, at that, within an hour or so... ill notice it becomes sick with whatever this may be. i always thought that what attracts parasites is high humidity within the enclosure? there would be times when i would just receive a mantis in the mail. i keep it in the small deli cup it was shipped in while i set up its enclosure, and by the time i'm done, the mantis is already acting strange. its becomes very actively walking around the entire deli cup, not forced or anything, but almost as if its unconformable...so it seems. you are able to tell almost immediately something is wrong because the black spots become very visible right away. but not to much activity from whatever it is. it still eats in the beginning, and will molt, but a couple of days later it will stop eating, does not molt any longer, and you can clearly see, whatever is inside, becomes active every now and then. times of activity become more and more as days go on.

i was hoping someone could help me figure it out, as i have never had this issue before. i just really hope the issue isn't permanent where i will no longer be able to pet any mantis or any kind of insect because of this sickness/parasite is just hiding out, waiting to get its way into any kind of enclosure with anything living in it. 

at the moment im quarantining my entire bedroom, not purchasing anymore mantis, ive gotten rid of all the feeders as well. disinfected this entire room from corner to corner. as well as purchased the appropriate size air purifier for bedroom, ive gone as far as even disinfecting and cleaning all my walls to. i am going to wait about 3 months before i buy any more mantis. i just really want to be able to get to the bottom of this issue because i am furious that whatever this thing is, caused the death of 12 perfectly fine mantises that were just fine. so if anyone has anyone information that could help , you would really make me happy and i would very much appreciate it. i am happy to answer any questions anyone may have to make to help find a diagnoses and a solution quicker. 

video:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ccb3098qvo080cr/Video 1.m4v?dl=0

thank you


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## agent A (May 17, 2022)

ok imma ignore all of the spelling/grammar mistakes and uses of the wrong spelling of words and take a few deep breaths...

ok
so were all 12 mantises fed the same food source, and what was it? that would be my first guess is that something they ate was contaminated with a pathogen or a chemical
extreme thermic shock (if it suddenly got too cold, like below say 42F, or above about 100F) could also be to blame
horsehair worm doesn't kill the host per se, it leads it to water before escaping

where are you living? there's a chance a poison of some sort was applied near a vent that led to your space
those worms could be phorid fly larvae scavenging on dead shit: it takes a mighty pesticide load to murk them. I generally mix some pretty noxious stuff into some crested gecko diet and leave it out as bait for these fuckers

the video, sadly, isn't too helpful


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## Lola the Carolina Mantis (May 26, 2022)

n4c said:


> Hi there,
> 
> i hope someone can help me figure out what may be the issue with my mantis (Pseudacanthops lobipes) i have posted a video for viewing so anyone could take a look. when you watch the video, you notice that abdomen is very flat. it stop eating about 4 days ago. between the scales you also see something black seeking out thru out it and of course the spotty black spots. also under the legs you see that it is red which i believe its from using its legs with all its strength, when what it is inside begins to pull the mantis in the opposite direction, as you'll see a few times in the video.
> 
> ...


My sympathies.


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## hibiscusmile (May 29, 2022)

I didn't watch the video, is it the horse worm?


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## n4c (Nov 11, 2022)

and months later i finally found what was causing basically any insect that entire my home to die. 

a type of Cladosporium, genus of fungi/mold with 40 documented species and at least 180 unnamed species. which releases spores into the air. typically found in two places. unresolved leakage within walls of apt or home, infected soil, or infected plants. can also rest on wood, wallboard, window sills, textiles, and foods. Cladosporium 

airborne spores find their way into any insects, arthropods, arachnids, or birds, usually by rectum of the animal. once inside the fungi begins to grow. the way you can tell if your mantis or any insect may have the fungi growing inside is just drop a drop of water near the rectum of the insect and the fungi will almost immediately pull the mantis/insect towards the drop of water. if you so happen to drop the water directly above the end of the abdomen, that fungi will hang on so tight to that water acting almost as if the insect is super glued. another way you can tell if the insect has the fungi inside is, on top of the end of the abdomen it will look black color, and inside it will look… kinda like white guts? kinda pulsates a bit but mostly it’s still. i think at first it may be difficult to notice but the mantis will begin to act strange. it will cut down on eating a lot, only eating when absolutely starving. the mantis will always molt, the fungi doesn’t seem to effect this process, but will still carry the fungi inside after molting. the fungi has a pretty good defensive system towards anything. in insects, the animal will 100% eventually die. there no saving the the animal. in humans i believe there are only two medications used because the fungi has a pretty good defensive system towards like everything, by creating a strong air bubble around itself. also can become immune very quickly. regular rubbing alcohol or 3% peroxide will not effect the fungi. peroxide at 30% and up will kill the the fungi. (30% peroxide will burn human skin)

Cladosporium can cause a series of health issues in humans, especially people with weakened immune systems which you guys can look up.

don’t make the mistake i did. if there’s is a leak in your home or apt. make sure you take care of it asap! you’ll save yourself a shit load of money and also prevent any type of parasitic crap that you can not see with the naked eye, just floating around in the air


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## agent A (Nov 12, 2022)

this is why I run 2 air purifiers in my rearing space


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