He Grew Up So Fast!

[Coneja]

I woke up Wednesday morning to find my H. patellifera boy, Siri, had molted into an adult! He is my first and only mantis, so I was thrilled (and even more glad that it happened when I was asleep, or I would have had a panic attack). It had just happened, since he was still flicking his wings and "pulsing" his abdomen. I took him out fully today, afraid he would fly away but he was as calm as ever. Plus, one of his wings is a little... strange... kind of crumpled; so he might not even be able to truly fly.

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This second to last picture shows his damaged wing. I find it interesting that it's on the same side (left) as his missing tarsus and shortened antenna were when I first got him. The deli cup next to my hand is the cup he was shipped to me in! The last is prior to his final molt, with a shot of his developing wing buds a day or two before he molted. Below is an old pic of him as a baby (L2, I think) for size comparison. I can't believe it!

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(Apologies for the weird sizing... I'm still trying to figure this out...)

 

[Paradoxica]

Well done.

 

[sally]

So cute as a baby so beautiful as an adult

 

[Digger]

Wonderful :clap: ! Congratulations !

 

[lancaster1313]

A nice big boy!

 

[ScienceGirl]

Time to make a baby book!

 

[Coneja]

Thanks for your kind comments, guys! I'm so proud of him for getting through all his molts safely :wub: I've been showing him off to everyone who comes to the apartment... Looking back, I still can't believe how small he was!

He doesn't seem inclined to fly but I've heard males tend to be more flighty/skittish? I let him out for the first time in my bathroom (smallest room in the apartment, with all the drains plugged) in case he got startled and flew, but he didn't care so I ended up sitting with him on the couch and he was resting against my hand while I did homework. Still keeping an eye on him though when he's out, in case he decides to try and escape!

Haha, I'm trying to pull together a virtual baby book via blog... Only problem is, I'm not to good at sizing and taking pictures. (Sizing, especially... either too big or too small and I can never remember how I resized them.) One of my roommates has a NICE camera, and she still has a ton of his baby pictures that I haven't gotten yet. But yeah, I'm planning to put something together. Your comment made me think, though, that maybe I should make a physical mantis scrapbook (as I definitely plan on having more!)