Dark Spots on Eyes

[GreenOasis]

That face is priceless! Looks like it's right out of a cartoon! Big, puppy dog eyes. Sooooo sweeeet...

Well, *I* think she's adorable, but I may be a bit partial.

 

[Rick]

Very interesting answer, Rick. It doesn't mean that captive mantids are not banging their eyes against their plastic enclosure, but it does show that it is not the only possible cause. Does this always yhappen to both eyes? If so, i would think it to be due to a pathological/deteriorative cause, akin to human cataracts,though cataracts sometimes develop in just one eye.

It is not always on both eyes. I've had it develop on mantids in net cages too, so that should throw a twist into the banging on the glass theory.

 

[dgerndt]

Well, *I* think she's adorable, but I may be a bit partial.

She IS really cute! She has such huge bright eyes... so adorable!

 

[Robs]

A friend of mine has a mantis that seems to be developing the same problem. He caught it in the wild here in California, three or four months ago, as an adult. I've attached some pictures of it that I took earlier today.

Also, does this mantis look too fat?? It used to be pretty thin, but it laid a couple of eggs in the past month and ever since then it's gained a lot of weight. Is that normal?

 

[Rick]

A friend of mine has a mantis that seems to be developing the same problem. He caught it in the wild here in California, three or four months ago, as an adult. I've attached some pictures of it that I took earlier today.

Also, does this mantis look too fat?? It used to be pretty thin, but it laid a couple of eggs in the past month and ever since then it's gained a lot of weight. Is that normal?

It happens. Especially on older mantids. The spots won't hurt anything. Looks like she is getting readyt to lay an ooth any day now.

 

[Litleape]

I have noticed this a lot with mine. Strangely, it is usually after feeding. My limbatas' entire eyes will turn black but then the next day they are green again. I am not sure what it is from. I thought maybe a bacteria from the feeder insects. It happens to my orchids too, except their eyes completely turn a dark purple. Then the next days they are baby blue again. None of them seem to have trouble seeing or catching prey, and I have never had any die so I tend to not worry about it too much.

 

[lancaster1313]

I have noticed this a lot with mine. Strangely, it is usually after feeding. My limbatas' entire eyes will turn black but then the next day they are green again. I am not sure what it is from. I thought maybe a bacteria from the feeder insects. It happens to my orchids too, except their eyes completely turn a dark purple. Then the next days they are baby blue again. None of them seem to have trouble seeing or catching prey, and I have never had any die so I tend to not worry about it too much.

This sounds more like the temporary darkening of mantids' eyes when they are in low light conditions. It is normal, and pretty cool. It should have nothing to do with feeding. Do you, by chance, mostly feed at night?

 

[Litleape]

This sounds more like the temporary darkening of mantids' eyes when they are in low light conditions. It is normal, and pretty cool. It should have nothing to do with feeding. Do you, by chance, mostly feed at night?

Well, no I don't only feed at night but when i feed them it's usually when I pay most attention to them. Maybe it happens more but I am just not around to see it except for feeding time.

 

[lancaster1313]

Well, no I don't only feed at night but when i feed them it's usually when I pay most attention to them. Maybe it happens more but I am just not around to see it except for feeding time.

All of my mantid's eyes go dark, when they are in the dark. I will see dark eyes when I turn on the light in their room at night.

I love how they can get black, grey, red, or purple, depending on the mantis.