# is it molting



## thesexymantisboy (May 18, 2008)

how do i know if my mantis is molting. it is staying on the roof of the container and not moving from the spot. what is up with it?


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## pedro92 (May 18, 2008)

What species? Size of container? What instar? Also has it ate in the last few days? If it hasnt eaten and its staying on roof it may be ready to molt. Dont move around or bump contaienr.


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## thesexymantisboy (May 18, 2008)

i think the species is Archimantis latistyla but im not sure. Its a light brown. I just got it today so i dont know when it last ate. there is a cockroach in there.


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## Rick (May 19, 2008)

Most mantids do nothing but sit on the roof and don't move much. That is not a good indicator of molting. They will often refuse food for a couple days before molting. When the molt gets really near they will look a bit swoolen and will kind of look droopy. Once you get experienced you will know for sure when it is about to happen.


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## pedro92 (May 19, 2008)

Depending on the size of mantid at this point you should try Hydei Fruitflies and you take a bamboo skewer and tape a needle around the end of skewer and then poke the FF letting it stay at tip of needle and then kinda move the FF in front of your mantis. If it denies food then it might be ready to molt or it could just be full. Try posting a pic of the mantis. Where did you get it from?


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## thesexymantisboy (May 19, 2008)

i have pics of him/her in the other discussion area.


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## pedro92 (May 20, 2008)

I thought it was g. asian because of the pattern on legs.


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## Rob Byatt (May 23, 2008)

Chameleonare said:


> Depending on the size of mantid at this point you should try Hydei Fruitflies and you take a bamboo skewer and tape a needle around the end of skewer and then poke the FF letting it stay at tip of needle and then kinda move the FF in front of your mantis. If it denies food then it might be ready to molt or it could just be full. Try posting a pic of the mantis. Where did you get it from?


What's wrong with just putting a fruitfly in the tub with the mantis ?


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## Morpheus uk (May 23, 2008)

Whered u get Archimantis latistyla its a wide arm mantis?


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## Rob Byatt (May 24, 2008)

thesexymantisboy said:


> i think the species is Archimantis latistyla but im not sure. Its a light brown. I just got it today so i dont know when it last ate. there is a cockroach in there.


Just noticed this (thanks Morpheus !)

You will not have this species, though maybe someone decided to label it such for some reason. Where was it from ?


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## thesexymantisboy (May 26, 2008)

Got it in Southern California


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## mrblue (May 29, 2008)

Morpheus uk said:


> Whered u get Archimantis latistyla?


guess which species is being used as the main photo for the wikipedia page on mantids?


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## Birdfly (Jun 9, 2008)

_Archimantis latistyla_ is Australian.

_Cilnia humeralis_ is usually commonly refered to as the "wide arm mantis".

Unfortunately it is hard for a newcomer to mantids to differentuate between a mantis at rest upside down from the ceiling of its enclosure or preparing to moult?

All i can think of to say to you is a mantis preparing to molt will usually look a bit off colour, a bit ropey and will refuse food, they can often be seen to be hooking there claws into the perch to afford a good grip and often there abdomens will pulsate more than they would do normally when full, this usually happens when they are quite close to molting.

Dont attempt to handle your mantis if you think it is preparing to molt and also dont move the enclosure as you could inadvertantly dislodge it, good luck although i suspect from the date of the first post that its all over and done with now


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