Female expelling white substance after mating

[Predatorhousepet]

My Rhombodera basalis pair have successfully mated three times in the last 2 weeks. The first two times the connection lasted 5 or 6 hours but the last time they remained connected for 2 days straight. She has not yet laid an ooth since being bred but she's due to do so any day now.

After mating the second time she expelled several small white balls and the third time she expelled a larger white ball (see pic.) The balls are like a firm gel...kinda like tapioca pearls. Is she rejecting the male's spermatophore deposits? I didn't see her do this after their first mating.

Why would this occur? They are both very interested in each other and spend most of the day staring at each other. The female displays calling behavior both before and after mating. They have no issues mating and every time they are able to make a good solid connection that lasts hours. Do females just get rid of extra spermatophore if they are already fertilized & don't need it? I haven't seen any of my other females do this after being bred multiple times.

Second Mating

Third Mating

Two hours after third mating

It's stuck to her cerci, I tried to gently remove it after spritzing with warm water but it wouldn't come off

24 hours later, it has dried out and I tried again to gently remove by putting a cloth with warm water on it with no luck. I am afraid to manipulate it too much, that is a very delicate structure. It doesn't seem to bother her so I am just going to wait & see if it falls off on its own.

 

[Velve]

Females always eject spermatophores after a while and sometimes eat them, they are just empty husks after the sperm has been absorbed. If she feels bothered by the one still stuck to her abdomen she will get rid of it by herself, they are flexible enough to reach around.

 

[Predatorhousepet]

Interesting. Is there somewhere I can find an in depth scientific explanation of how praying mantis reproduction works? I've done a cursory google search and all I came up with was very basic information. 

 

[Velve]

Interesting. Is there somewhere I can find an in depth scientific explanation of how praying mantis reproduction works? I've done a cursory google search and all I came up with was very basic information. 

Searching for information on general insect reproduction should yield results, mantids aren't really different.

Basically, the male transfers the Spermatophore, from which the sperm cells then travel into the Spermathecae, chambers where they are stored and kept alive. Inside the Ovaries are tubes called Ovarioles, where the eggs are produced. When being laid, the eggs travel down and are fertilized when they are passing by the Spermathecae. The Accessory Glands are where the foam for the ooths is produced.

 

[Predatorhousepet]

I was able to find a scientific study specifically about the duration of mantid copulation & females consuming the spermatophore after copulation.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227548368_Spermatophore_feeding_and_mating_behaviour_in_praying_mantids_Mantodea_Liturgusidae#rft

 

[Mantis Lady]

Interesting topic.  But what the stuff is I don't know. I like the closeup pics.

 

[Predatorhousepet]

Apparently males will eat their own spermatophore as well. I mated them again today and shortly after they were done I caught the male pulling his abdomen all the way to his mouth and noticed he was eating white stuff out of his rear. He also spent a lot of time fastidiously cleaning his entire body. 

 

[Mantis Lady]

We found another flexible mantis that bends himself to clean.

Did the female remove the dried up spermatore?   The piece she had stuck on her abdomen?

 

[Predatorhousepet]

Did the female remove the dried up spermatore?   The piece she had stuck on her abdomen?

Nope, its still there and has completely dried up into a hard chunk. She doesn't seem to notice it's even there...probably why she hasn't tried to remove it herself. I did try applying more warm water with a Q-tip to see if I could get it to soften up enough to come off but it didn't budge, it is on there. I was worried it might interfere with mating but the male was able to maneuver around it after feeling around a while. It did seem to throw him off a bit when he first felt it with his abdomen, he paused a few seconds like it was something he wasn't expecting to be there...then he just continued on trying to locate her opening. He was able to make a connection that lasted about 28 hours.

After they were separated I got him out to put him back in his cage and he thought it was a grand time to take flight & hang out on the ceiling. I had to stand on a chair to get him down. Maybe he got some dust on him from the ceiling and that is why he spent such a long time cleaning himself.