# alice the orchard molted to adult!



## sally (Feb 13, 2013)

My first orchard " Alice" made it to a beautiful adult. I will post pics when she dries. Soon she can mate ( hopefully ) with my male adult that I just received . I am so relieved. Her wing buds have been swollen for a few days and I was more than a little nervous about this last molt.yay yay yay. And whew


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## hibiscusmile (Feb 13, 2013)

good for her!


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## agent A (Feb 13, 2013)

Nice!!


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## Mime454 (Feb 13, 2013)

Yay!


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## lancaster1313 (Feb 13, 2013)

Great news!


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## SilentDeviL (Feb 13, 2013)

Congratz .


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## angelofdeathzz (Feb 13, 2013)

Very nice to hear!!! congratz... adult females eat more than you might think for they're size, 8-10 BB's a day to start, just a heads up.


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## Digger (Feb 13, 2013)

Great news Patricia ! :clap:


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## Termite48 (Feb 13, 2013)

About how long in inches is your *"Orchid" *female? They are so pretty. Some mine were more beautifully colored as nymphs. Then when they molted to adult, they had lost some of the pink colors.


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## brancsikia339 (Feb 13, 2013)

I can't wait to see pics!!! My female is L6 right now


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## sally (Feb 13, 2013)

brancsikia339 said:


> e beforeI can't wait to see pics!!! My female is L6 right now


she is huge! actually prob just normal size but i have never seen an adult female before


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## sally (Feb 13, 2013)

Rich S said:


> About how long in inches is your *"Orchid" *female? They are so pretty. Some mine were more beautifully colored as nymphs. Then when they molted to adult, they had lost some of the pink colors.


3 inches from tip of abdomen to her head


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## sally (Feb 13, 2013)

angelofdeathzz said:


> Very nice to hear!!! congratz... adult females eat more than you might think for they're size, 8-10 BB's a day to start, just a heads up.


wow it is good i ordered a huge amount


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## lancaster1313 (Feb 13, 2013)

My Orchid female Helga is molting to adult right now. Please wish her luck. She is hanging by her rear end, which is always frightening for me to see.

Her sister Bertha fell during her final molt, so I am very nervous.

I am afraid to move because I am in the same room.

I am thinking that Bertha fell because either my husband or I walked in on her, causing her to startle and fall. I really don't know why she fell but it is easy to blame human error.


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## sally (Feb 13, 2013)

likebugs said:


> My Orchid female Helga is molting to adult right now. Please wish her luck. She is hanging by her rear end, which is always frightening for me to see.
> 
> Her sister Bertha fell during her final molt, so I am very nervous.
> 
> ...


Good luck with Helga! i was a mess because she took three days to finally molt. she just kept hanging and hanging....


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## lancaster1313 (Feb 13, 2013)

The problem with Bertha and Helga is that they grew so fast and surprised me with a couple of molts.

I was ready for Helga today. She was in position, pumping her abdomen, the tip opened up last night, and she is right on time. Three days after poor Bertha.

Still hanging from the skin by the bum, though. Hurry Up Helga! lol


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## Termite48 (Feb 13, 2013)

3" is a good size for an adult female Orchid. I do not think that of the eight or so adults that I have had any reached that length. I know I measured the last ones at 2-3/4". The males can get lost on the back of a girl that large. Somehow though, the get the job dome before loosing it.


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## angelofdeathzz (Feb 13, 2013)

Helga and Bertha? sounds like key characters in a children's novel!  

As long as your not changing the lighting amount, you watching shouldn't effect her either way, unless she's free roaming(uncaged)they're more or less in a trance and don't even know your there. I'm always compelled to watch when ever I spot a molter, sometimes I go as far as to route them on.  

Good luck Helga!


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## Reptiliatus (Feb 13, 2013)

Congrats


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## lancaster1313 (Feb 14, 2013)

angelofdeathzz said:


> Helga and Bertha? sounds like key characters in a children's novel!
> 
> As long as your not changing the lighting amount, you watching shouldn't effect her either way, unless she's free roaming(uncaged)they're more or less in a trance and don't even know your there. I'm always compelled to watch when ever I spot a molter, sometimes I go as far as to route them on.
> 
> Good luck Helga!


I have watched plenty of molts. It is just that when I found Bertha on the bottom, all crumpled, I figured that she must have been bumped or startled or something. I didn't even know that she was molting until I found her that way.  

I watched Helga's molt until she grabbed the container side to set her wings. I am familiar with the really scary part where they try to climb up the skin (I try not to watch that) and she struggled with that. When my daughter walked in and would check on her, a few times. Helga was hanging by the bum and turned her head to look at her! &lt;_&lt; The kid doesn't stay still for long, but she tries. I have had a few molting mantids that turned their heads to look at movement.  It kinda creeps me out. lol

Anyway, Helga is pristine and looks like a normal Adult Orchid mantis now. :clap: Congrats to Alice and Helga!


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## sally (Feb 14, 2013)

likebugs said:


> I have watched plenty of molts. It is just that when I found Bertha on the bottom, all crumpled, I figured that she must have been bumped or startled or something. I didn't even know that she was molting until I found her that way.
> 
> I watched Helga's molt until she grabbed the container side to set her wings. I am familiar with the really scary part where they try to climb up the skin (I try not to watch that) and she struggled with that. When my daughter walked in and would check on her, a few times. Helga was hanging by the bum and turned her head to look at her! &lt;_&lt; The kid doesn't stay still for long, but she tries. I have had a few molting mantids that turned their heads to look at movement.  It kinda creeps me out. lol
> 
> Anyway, Helga is pristine and looks like a normal Adult Orchid mantis now. :clap: Congrats to Alice and Helga!


good job Helga!


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## sally (Feb 14, 2013)

sally said:


> 3 inches from tip of abdomen to her head


nope 2 3/4 to tip of abdomen 3" to tip of wings... it was dark , anyway he looks so small compared to her



and i removed him promptly lol


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## aNisip (Feb 14, 2013)

:clap: ...congratz to all the orchids that made it to adult! Adrienne, I've never had a mantis turn its head while molting....that is kinda creepy


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## brancsikia339 (Feb 14, 2013)

AndrewNisip said:


>


Had my idolo do that during the final molt.... scared me cuz i thought he was gonna die! nline2long:


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## lancaster1313 (Feb 14, 2013)

brancsikia339 said:


> Had my idolo do that during the final molt.... scared me cuz i thought he was gonna die! nline2long:


At least someone else knows what I am talking about. I am sure that they are aware of their surroundings when they molt.

And yes, It feels like I should not be there when they give the look as they molt, like if they are frightened and might fall because of my movement. Sometimes when they turn their head, the whole skin suspending them sways or shakes. :mellow: 

I have seen a few different species do it, but never had one fall because they looked. My few mismolts have been for other stupid reasons, sometimes unknown and sometimes completely preventable. Like once, when I didn't look before I misted a mantis.


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## aNisip (Feb 14, 2013)

"And I removed him promptly" ^-^ hahaha ....good call!


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## lancaster1313 (Feb 14, 2013)

She is a little young and probably wouldn't appreciate his advances. lol


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## ScienceGirl (Feb 14, 2013)

Way to go!

Waiting anxiously for those pictures...


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