# Ugh, deformed wings...



## hermie

Just registered to get this cleared up -

I have about thirty chinese mantises, so I guess one could expect a deformity or two.

My favorite Chinese mantis just recently had a bad molt, I suspect it was earlier today. This was the molt that introduced the wings. His outer wings formed perfectly, but the flying ones are crumpled into little spheres. You can tell that his flying wings are deformed because his outer ones are "hilled" up on top of the deformed flying wings. Because of this, his outer wings are spread out and not positioned directly on top of each other. It evidently disturbs him, because he continues to wriggle and try to position his outer wings in proper place.

Should I attempt to cut the flying wings off or leave them be? I don't think that there is a possibility that his flying wings can straighten again since he only has a few molts left.

------

Also, another one of my chinese mantises had a bad molt quite a long time ago. Her right grasping arm was twisted across her back and her back legs were so badly deformed that they broke off (a little bit lower than the knee joints). Will she be able to grasp the stick/plant/top of cage and molt properly? I'm terrified that she'll be unable to molt. She can climb, and with her other arm she can catch prey. Her two middle legs are fine - will she be okay if she hangs with these two legs or...?


----------



## OGIGA

I'd say that if your mantis can live normally with deformed wings, let it be. It won't molt any more because it has already become an adult.


----------



## Rick

Mantids that just molted into adult often move their abdomen back and forth and it appears they are trying to adjust their wings. If this mantis just molted and hasn't dried fully cutting the wings will cause it to bleed. Just leave them be as it shouldn't affect it too much.


----------



## hermie

He has dried completely. They seem to be bothering him though, he's wriggling and "clawing" at his backside.

Thanks for the input.


----------



## Rick

Well they can be cut off if they are FULLY dry. Leave little stubs and don't cut too close to the attachment point to the body.


----------



## hermie

Just attempted to cut the wings, I had to get several snips in to get them off. No blood, and I left stubs. He seems to be happier, he's stopped clawing at his backside.


----------



## Rick

> Just attempted to cut the wings, I had to get several snips in to get them off. No blood, and I left stubs. He seems to be happier, he's stopped clawing at his backside.


There won't be blood unless he was still wet from molting. You said he just molted so thats why I brought it up.


----------



## sk8erkho

The same Exact thing just happened to one of my Chinese favorites as well just this morning. What the ... causes this??? :shock: I've seen and heard of it before. And with the same advice, leave it or cut the wings if they bother it! :?


----------



## OGIGA

I watched 6 mantises become adults and only two of them had messed up wings. Well, it's not totally messed up, but you can tell that it's imperfect. The two happed to both be stagmomantis californica females.

Anyway, what do messed up wings look like??


----------



## randyardvark

like that ( a male sphrodomantis)

hes all messed up but doesnt really mind  hasnt got the 'spheres of fluid' that some have mind,


----------



## OGIGA

Oh I see... I guess I'm lucky enough to have decent wings then.


----------



## randyardvark

you have wings?


----------



## OGIGA

Yeah. I can fly a short distance too. :wink:


----------



## Butterfly

> Yeah. I can fly a short distance too. :wink:


LOL wow your special then. My name means Butterfly in greek and I still havent figured out how to grow wings, or have some attached lol.


----------



## Jwonni

> like that ( a male sphrodomantis)
> 
> hes all messed up but doesnt really mind  hasnt got the 'spheres of fluid' that some have mind,


Mine died within 24 hours of moulting to an adult it was a female orchid mantis and its wings never even began to extend she just had "Spheres of fluid" or at least thats what they looked like


----------



## OGIGA

Spheres of fluid on the wings? I had one mantis who had one little sphere on its wing right after molting to adult. She lived for 10 days and died of other causes (probably). I figured that sphere must have been a hole in the wing. Maybe your mantis molted to adult prematurely.


----------



## randyardvark

i think the fluid is just a mantids version of a blood blister caused by haemoriging of the wing veins, but not 100% on this, ive heard of a few people with this problem but all mantids have lived to my knowledge


----------



## OGIGA

Yeah, I think it's mantis blood. The blood wasn't enclosed but it was pretty small and didn't seem like a big problem.


----------



## Asa

Well, at least it wasn't too painful (I hope).


----------

