Can male mantids penetrate AFTER getting their head eaten if they're still on her back?

[MantidBro]

would it be impossible for a male mantis to penetrate the female AFTER his head has been eaten? if he is still on her back? Or would he have to have already penetrated?

 

[Mime454]

They can penetrate after the head has been removed.

One dirty trick to get males to mate is to cut the head off yourself and put the male on her back.

I don't do this but I've seen video of it.

 

[LAME]

I've had a female S. carolina pair that the female ate the head and upper torso of the male during a session. He still made a connection and stayed for well over four hours... I woke up to nothing left of him.

 

[MantidBro]

They can penetrate after the head has been removed.

One dirty trick to get males to mate is to cut the head off yourself and put the male on her back.

I don't do this but I've seen video of it.

Thank you

 

[MantidBro]

I've had a female S. carolina pair that the female ate the head and upper torso of the male during a session. He still made a connection and stayed for well over four hours... I woke up to nothing left of him.

Oh for real?? i forgot about that, cool, thanks bro

 

[hibiscusmile]

Never seen anyone cut the head off, but yes they do mate when half eaten.

 

[MantidBro]

Never seen anyone cut the head off, but yes they do mate when half eaten.

Thanks

I was wondering more so though if they can insert once the head is gone, or if they need to have already inserted before losing their head?

 

[PlayingMantis]

Males can connect after losing their heads. I had a golden Hierodula female bite off the head of the male before they were connected. She then grabbed his thorax and tried to pull him off her back so she can to continue eating him. I distracted the female, repositioned the headless male, and he connected fine.

 

[Rick]

Yes but it is quite difficult to make it happen as the headless body becomes quite uncoordinated.

 

[MantidBro]

Thanks guys

Unfortunately my male wasn't even making the abdominal motions

 

[Rick]

Thanks guys

Unfortunately my male wasn't even making the abdominal motions

Odd. Usually the second the head comes off they start doing it.

 

[LAME]

Odd. Usually the second the head comes off they start doing it.

That's what I've noticed as well.

 

[MantidBro]

Odd. Usually the second the head comes off they start doing it.

That's what I usually see too when a male loses their head, I'm not sure why he wasn't. Could it possibly be because he wasn't trying to mate with her when he lost his head?