# Do mantids molt more often during the day or night?



## revmdn (Dec 1, 2008)

Sorry if this has been covered, I couldn't find any info on it, but do mantids molt more during the day or at night? And Although I have seen some answers for this I will ask anyway to be sure, what are some clear signs of a incoming molt? Thanks


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## kamakiri (Dec 1, 2008)

I've witnessed more at night. But I'm always home at night...I believe it's safer for them to molt under the cover of darkness.

I don't know about clear signs...

On a final molt, the wing buds are usually swollen/fat or the patterns which are normally straight are wavy. Staying or hanging in one place, in addition to not eating for a few days are typical signals. Immediately prior to molting, some species may have a typical molting 'pose'. Time since previous molt also helps. Sometimes separation of the skin can be seen as paleness or lack of usual color.


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## shorty (Dec 1, 2008)

Most of mine have molted during the night, though I have had a few molt during the day. kamakiri already covered most of the signs of an incoming molt. I don't know of any others, although a few of mine tend to flatten themselves against the bottom of the lid to their enclosures before a molt. I don't know if this is a sign of a molt or not.


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## Frack (Dec 1, 2008)

Hi, I Usually find that theyve molted during the night when I check them in the morning, I have seen a few molt during the day but it seems to me they prefer the night to molt. I think the easiest way to keep track of when there going to molt is by keeping a good record of when they molted last. Theres a few free programs you can download to keep track of that sort of thing. Heres a link to download them, Ive been using the Exotic Keepers Record v1.2 and I really like it though I use it more for my tarantulas than for mantids.

http://johnmcp.adsl24.co.uk/index_files/Page568.htm


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## Rick (Dec 1, 2008)

I see both. I don't sit around all day watching them but often just notice that they have molted without knowing exactly when.


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## revmdn (Dec 1, 2008)

Thank you everyone. I will check out that program. I wasn't sure if different species molted at different times, due to different environments. I had one molt late in the morning and the others I'm just waiting to see. Thanks again.


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## Katnapper (Dec 1, 2008)

I've never seen mine actively molting yet. I usually notice the spent skin in the daytime, like they probably molted during the night.  



Frack said:


> Hi, I Usually find that theyve molted during the night when I check them in the morning, I have seen a few molt during the day but it seems to me they prefer the night to molt. I think the easiest way to keep track of when there going to molt is by keeping a good record of when they molted last. Theres a few free programs you can download to keep track of that sort of thing. Heres a link to download them, Ive been using the Exotic Keepers Record v1.2 and I really like it though I use it more for my tarantulas than for mantids. http://johnmcp.adsl24.co.uk/index_files/Page568.htm


Thank you, Frack for the info and link on that program for record keeping! I didn't know they had such a thing... and free to boot. I'm definitely going to try it out! Thanks again!!


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## The_Asa (Dec 1, 2008)

Mine mostly molt in the evening.


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## shorty (Dec 3, 2008)

Neat program. I'm old fashioned, though. I use a notebook for my record books. I keep track of when they've molted, times and dates that I feed them, along with what I feed them and in what amounts. I also keep track of any problems as well as times and dates that I mist them. I have a terrible memory and I really like doing this sort of paperwork. Maybe I'm weird, but if I didn't do it I might accidentally overfeed or underfeed because of my lack of memory.

Also had a mantid molt to L5 last night, another molt to L5 this morning.


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## superfreak (Dec 3, 2008)

mine have a tendancy to hang from a branch more limply than usual before a moult


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## ABbuggin (Dec 3, 2008)

Hmmm I like your question.  

For the most part, mantids eat when ever there is food. I believe most to be diurnal and mostly shed at night.

There are a few exceptions, my tarachodes almost always eat at night once they have outgrown fruit flies. The will only shed at night, only mate at night, and only lay their ootheca at night. :wacko: So I believe that for the most part they are nocturnal. (I'm almost to my 4th generation and I've only seen the above activity a handful of times (except for feeding) because they prefer the night time)

On the other hand, I've noticed that my gongylus almost always shed in the wee hours of the morning, and sometimes the evening. This is also when they feed the most. Because of this, I believe that they are crepuscular (meaning that they are active in dawn/dusk).

Now of course both my tarachodes and gongylus break these habbits when they are hungrier than usual and they see a nice juicy meal. :lol:


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## Kruszakus (Dec 3, 2008)

With mine Gongylus and Thesprotia they NEVER molted during the night - they always wait till the early morning - that's when they usually molt, often there were strong signs of the incoming shed, but I would turn the lights off and the mantis would wait 'till the morning...

I think the heat might encourage them to molt as well...


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## sk8erkho (Dec 5, 2008)

Yeah, like Rick, I have experience molting on both levels. During the day while I'm cleaning tanks and put mantid out to stretch a leg the next thing I know molt position!!! Same at night!! But at night it seems to happen really late!


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## OGIGA (Dec 9, 2008)

I usually find my mantises molted after the night rather than when I return home in the evening.


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## revmdn (Dec 24, 2008)

Well, I currently have four mantids right now and they have molted a total of six times collectively. And so far it's split right down the middle. So, no clear answer on my end. Thanks for everyone's input.


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## shorty (Dec 24, 2008)

Had one molt in the middle of the day today; started around 11.


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## nasty bugger (Jan 4, 2009)

I really don't know, but wonder if temperature and food factors, as well as other stimulus like stress, have anything to do with it.


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## revmdn (Jan 10, 2009)

Now I have a total of eight mantids now. Two of them molted last night.


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## nasty bugger (Jan 11, 2009)

Mine seem to molt more at night, cause when I get up I see the ghost of the mantis hanging, so I've gotten so I mist the top of the jar, the t shirt I use at net to cover the jar, at night so it's more humid to aid in softening the skin for removal.


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## kamakiri (Jan 12, 2009)

My _S. limbata _mantises seem to molt pretty consistently during the day.


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## revmdn (Jan 19, 2009)

I just had four more molts in the last three days. Again, half during the day, half at night.


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## revmdn (Jan 21, 2009)

Two more day time molts. I guess they just molt when it's time.


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## shorty (Feb 1, 2009)

Frack said:


> Hi, I Usually find that theyve molted during the night when I check them in the morning, I have seen a few molt during the day but it seems to me they prefer the night to molt. I think the easiest way to keep track of when there going to molt is by keeping a good record of when they molted last. Theres a few free programs you can download to keep track of that sort of thing. Heres a link to download them, Ive been using the Exotic Keepers Record v1.2 and I really like it though I use it more for my tarantulas than for mantids. http://johnmcp.adsl24.co.uk/index_files/Page568.htm


Hey, is there another link to get that application somewhere? It appears that that link is broken and I cannot find it anywhere else online. If you don't know of another place to get it, could you send it to me?

Thanks!

EDIT: Nevermind on that, I realized it was for Windows and it does not work on Mac OS X. However, you said that there were a few programs. Do you know of another one? Perhaps one that works on Mac OS?


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## Dinora (Feb 4, 2009)

Frack said:


> Hi, I Usually find that theyve molted during the night when I check them in the morning, I have seen a few molt during the day but it seems to me they prefer the night to molt. I think the easiest way to keep track of when there going to molt is by keeping a good record of when they molted last. Theres a few free programs you can download to keep track of that sort of thing. Heres a link to download them, Ive been using the Exotic Keepers Record v1.2 and I really like it though I use it more for my tarantulas than for mantids. http://johnmcp.adsl24.co.uk/index_files/Page568.htm


Damn... the site is down...

I wonder if there is an iPhone app for that... anyone know? I couldn't find one, but sometimes you need to know just the right key words for the search for those apps.


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