# Ghost Mantis - my 1st molt!



## Lee Slikkers (Aug 3, 2007)

Well, who would have know how stressful and exciting a simple nymph molt would be... :lol: 

I have been watching the ghost nymphs non-stop...mainly because they appeared to have gone off feed and weren't eating much so I was getting nervous I was doing something wrong with their husbandry.

I have been moving them into the living room at night right along side my counch on an in-table so I can enjoy the "hunts" for FF's...I had literally JUST looked at them all to see if anyone was eating a FF and then watched about 2 minutes of TV, I looked back at them and POW, one had molted out of its skin already.

I had no idea that process was instant and took little to no time to complete. I still can't beleive I missed it nor can I bleive how large the new mantis is after coming out of that tiny shell!!! By this morning 3 of the 5 had also molted so only 2 more to go...

Enjoy the pics...
































Lee


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## khabirun (Aug 3, 2007)

ah beautiful ghost, grats dude


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## Asa (Aug 3, 2007)

Very nice! They seem to be in good hands


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## Deutschherper (Aug 3, 2007)

Cool.


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## yen_saw (Aug 3, 2007)

Nice pics Lee, the rest should follow soon. You can see the lobes on its leg now even at L2.


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## Lee Slikkers (Aug 3, 2007)

Yen, yes, I can see the small lobes and even the abdomen seems to have more of a flattened thin edges to it...and I LOVE their long whispy hair like antenea!

This is one fascinating hobby!

I'm still waiting on the all the Unicorns to molt...


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## MikhailsDinos (Aug 3, 2007)

Congratulations!  Beautiful ghost!


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## Lee Slikkers (Aug 3, 2007)

Thanks for the kind replies (and helpful tips) everyone!

Lee


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## spawn (Aug 3, 2007)

Dude, I've gone through exactly what you're feeling now. Wait until L4...dramatic difference in look. Mine are L1, L3, and L4. L4 is ridiculously large in comparison to its molted skin. I love watching this species molt. And if you've got a female, expect the abdomen to flare up twice the width. Very cool stuff.


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## Lee Slikkers (Aug 6, 2007)

> Dude, I've gone through exactly what you're feeling now. Wait until L4...dramatic difference in look. Mine are L1, L3, and L4. L4 is ridiculously large in comparison to its molted skin. I love watching this species molt. And if you've got a female, expect the abdomen to flare up twice the width. Very cool stuff.


My 5th and last Ghost finally competed his 1st molt and now all are L2's. He took almost 2 more complete days under the same feeding and conditions (humidity, amount fed, location of where housing was kept, etc.)

Thanks for the encouragement...are your L1, L3 &amp; L4 all from the same hatch? I actually am thinking about posting a new thread to discuss the varied growth rates of my 6 Teaxs Unicorns I purchased from Yen Saw.

2 of those 6 have molted but even if I compare all the unmolted nymphs there is a rathr large amoutn of size discrepancy...and I assumed these were all from the same hatching as well. I guess more or less I was just cuious if this was typical or if there was possible something husbadry wise I was not providing for them.

Thanks!


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 6, 2007)

No, your not doing anything wrong, they are like everything else, when they get ready they will do it, I have some orchids, all same age, 1 has not molted along with the other ones and is almost a week behind, still eating but just won't molt!


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## Ben.M (Aug 6, 2007)

That last pic is brill  8) and your not doing anything wrong, like Hibiscusmile said, they will do it in their own time


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## Lee Slikkers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thanks Ben...I'm so very new to this I am sure my 1st big mistake is lurking around some corner :shock:


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## Ben.M (Aug 6, 2007)

Everyone makes mistakes, if we didnt we wouldnt learn anything 8)


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## yen_saw (Aug 6, 2007)

> Thanks for the encouragement...are your L1, L3 &amp; L4 all from the same hatch? I actually am thinking about posting a new thread to discuss the varied growth rates of my 6 Teaxs Unicorns I purchased from Yen Saw.2 of those 6 have molted but even if I compare all the unmolted nymphs there is a rathr large amoutn of size discrepancy...and I assumed these were all from the same hatching as well. I guess more or less I was just cuious if this was typical or if there was possible something husbadry wise I was not providing for them.
> 
> Thanks!


Lee, Texas Unicorn size increase noticably from one moult to another, you may find L2 a dwarf compare to an L3 and so on, and even on the same stage the size difference can be apparent too as the "older" nymphs (of the same stage) are sometimes larger than the "younger" one. But both male and female will grow up to about 3.5 inches as adult going through same number of moults, so no worry about the size dicrepancy and cooling down the male if that is your concern.


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## Lee Slikkers (Aug 6, 2007)

Thanks for the added tips and info Yen, you described the size varience perfectly. I simply had 2 of the 6 that were very small and had yet to molt and when I compared them to a larger one that had molted it appeared 3-4 times larger then them.

I'll keep observing and learning...thank you again for you help and great specimens.

Lee


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