# Lost its head!



## acerbity (Aug 17, 2008)

I have two adult female Texas Unicorns. One ate all the crickets I had dumped in, so the other decided to eat her!

She ate the head, arms, and two legs.

All that is left is the long thorax, a plump abdomen, and two legs.

The mantid has been alive for 3+ days now.

When I pick her up by the two remaining legs, she squeems and goes into a threat display with the wings.

I'm interested in seeing how long it survives with no head, as it was very well fed before this happened.

She isn't feeling any discomfort if she has no head, right?


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## idolomantis (Aug 17, 2008)

O_O omg.. must be a very weird creature now...


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## Rick (Aug 17, 2008)

That's why you don't keep mantids together, especially not hungry adult females. Interesting how they can live without a head for awhile.


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## The_Asa (Aug 17, 2008)

That is really weird. It reminds of people who have lost a limb. Sometimes, even though the limb is not there, they can feel the presence of it, even have urges to scratch it :lol:


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## JennMantis (Aug 17, 2008)

That's very interesting... I have read about males continuing to mate without their heads, but I don't know how long they survive afterwards.


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## idolomantis (Aug 17, 2008)

it will survive just as long as it would without food.


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## randyardvark (Aug 17, 2008)

pictures? a video?


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## TylerFerretLord (Aug 17, 2008)

She'll live until she either starves or dehydrates to death, most likely the latter.

Many insects can live after they've been decapitated, thanks to the way their nervous system is set up.

I agree, a vid would be really neat.


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## acerbity (Aug 17, 2008)

The only way I could transfer my phone vid is to use a program with an awful watermark.

here is the bluray quality video:


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## idolomantis (Aug 17, 2008)

i commented. and faved. and rated. and watched.


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## collinchang635 (Aug 18, 2008)

Thats really weird. Is the poor mantid suffering?


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## acerbity (Aug 19, 2008)

Update: still alive, but just barely. I think that makes it about 5 days.


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## tnienhaus (Aug 20, 2008)

that's crazy...tough little bugger....such a fighter....its too bad you cant still feed it


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## collinchang635 (Aug 21, 2008)

Can it even walk in a straight line?


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## TylerFerretLord (Aug 21, 2008)

I'm pretty sure it can't even stand up from the video.


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## collinchang635 (Aug 22, 2008)

TylerFerretLord said:


> I'm pretty sure it can't even stand up from the video.


I guess you're right. From the video, when he put it down it couldn't stand. Poor thing


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## TylerFerretLord (Aug 22, 2008)

She's been alive for what, 8 days now? She'll probably go soon, if she hasn't already.

Most insects will last about a week after losing their head. Weird, considering how long they can go without eating, but I suppose the 'brain' they have controls some aspect of homeostasis, and the loss of that is what does them in. Now I need to look this up or it'll bother me.  

Please keep us updated, it's very interesting.


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## harryallard (Aug 22, 2008)

:blink:


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## acerbity (Aug 22, 2008)

I checked last night, and I'm pretty sure there is no life left in her.

My last post where she was still kicking a little is how long she was alive, give or take, so I'd say 5 days.


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