FamilyMantis
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- Sep 4, 2020
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I'm confused on the usage of L1 vs L2 when the baby nymph mantids are 1st born. When they first shed out of the ootheca, it seems like certain websites state that they are already L2 because coming out of the egg and expanding on their thin thread is already a molt right at birth. So when they shed in 1 week approximately (for Tenodera Sinensis at least), they are technically going from L2 to L3, right? It seems to me that most people who list their mantids online are using the nomenclature of L1 being used for birth to the 1st molt about a week later. Therefore, L2 would be used when they first shed and leave a shell exoskeleton behind which makes sense to me but take a look at this chart for ghost mantids. Also, is L1 a correlate of first instar, etc. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated!!
ted!