Female Orchid Mantis molted and die!

[chunyee]

This morning I found out that my female orchid mantis just molted. I was so happy and try to look for her to see how big she turn out after molt. Yet i found her lying on the bottom lifeless. Can anyone tell me what happen in the process? What could possibly be wrong with the female? Thanks!

 

[buddhistsoldier88]

I'm sorry to hear that! Always sucks when something dies...

Did you have any prey in the same place? If you did thats probably what killed her. If not it could be a million other reasons. What were the tank conditions. Be specific!

 

[Asa]

They just do. Details please.

 

[chunyee]

She way hanging upside down for 2 days without eating, so i figure out that she is going to molt. I change the sphagnum moss at the bottom, clean the deli cup and get rid of any other feeder insect. I spray the bottom to keep to humidity high so that she can molt easily. She decided to molt last night. This morning i saw her lying lifelessly at the bottom of the deli cup (32 oz).

 

[Asa]

Strange. I can't really say anything but the typical 'better luck next time'.

 

[chunyee]

1 more molt to go.........she already have wing bud. Now i have 1 matured male and no female to breed with. That suck!

 

[Asa]

Post up in the classifieds

 

[OGIGA]

I think it might have been the deli cup. There isn't too much to grip up there, even though I've seen my mantises molt successfully in them. I'd say hanging by a thick stick or tree bark has the best grip.

 

[Fisherman_Brazil]

I lost two females this way.

Something is really beyond our control, or even comprehension.