alice the orchard molted to adult!

[lancaster1313]

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! <_< 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!

 

[sally]

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! <_< 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!

 

[sally]

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

 

[aNisip]

: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

 

[brancsikia339]

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

 

[lancaster1313]

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.

 

[aNisip]

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

 

[lancaster1313]

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

 

[ScienceGirl]

Way to go!

Waiting anxiously for those pictures...