Death is coming

[mantisboy]

After the recent passing of my female Latifah, death is coming to my girl Goliath (Avatar Picture). Her once slow and graceful movements have all but disappeared, her hunting skills gone, she is but a shadow of her former self. I put her in the garden for the afternoon to enjoy the 70 degree weather, spending time on the plants, and taking in the sun. I know feed her with hopper on a pair of forceps. Her abdomen is swollen, but I don't think she will live long enough to produce an ooth. She is the last of my original mantids, the reason I found and registered onto this site. I hope that rewards of our time together have been mutually beneficial as I have learned much from my time with these little insects.

I think she is losing her little mind. She hangs upside down in a cramped, contorted position with her head pressed on the side of her housing scratching away at the walls. I no longer even have a lid on her housing yet there she is scratching away desperately just an inch from the top of the wall.

I am still amazed at how curious and cat-like their mannerisms are. Goliath, like Latifah has given me 4 huge beautiful ooths making me feel like Wilbur of Charlotte's Web. She still has just enough life in her that the freezer is not an option...but that time is coming. I intend to keep some mantids next year I hope I can successfully get some nymphs to adulthood. It will be strange that I will actually have known both the mothers and fathers of the 2011 offspring, something I would have never imagined.

 

[Akki]

That's awful, idahomantid. I'm sorry to hear that. I know mantids aren't exactly cuddly as a cat or dog, but something about them seems almost wise. Perhaps the benefit is in fact mutual. You never know, caring for mantids could pass some good karma your way.

 

[hibiscusmile]

When mine do that I take them out and let them climb around to their hearts content, they usually settle down after that.

 

[mantisboy]

When mine do that I take them out and let them climb around to their hearts content, they usually settle down after that.

Go Goliath, late last night she laid an ooth....what a trooper! I thought if she did, it would surely be the last straw for her, but I was wrong. Seems like that gave her some relief as her strength has somewhat returned enough to nab a hopper on her own.

Isn't it funny Rebecca how you can get a pretty good read on their desires after awhile. Mine also at times position themselves upright and stare at the lid with their coxae moving in climbing motion at the lid. For now all is good in my mantid world, something about the arrival of an ooth that seems to brighten my day.