Infection along abdominal fold

[Precarious]

I was sent an adult female Polyspilota griffinii for possible breeding and noticed she has a nasty infection along the folds of her abdomen on both sides. You can see pockets of pus at the two worst areas.

I'd like to clean it out but I wouldn't know what to use. Can anyone suggest a disinfectant that won't hurt the mantis?

Anyone seen anything like this before? Am I misdiagnosis the situation? I have no experience with this species but this doesn't look normal to me.

 

[rs4guy]

Maybe a dilluted mix of water and hydrogen peroxide? Not sure, but that looks to def not be normal.

 

[minard734]

This looks like a form of "black death" as some call it. I've seen it EXACTLY like this. Unfortunately, most die within a short amount of time. Some mantids with it live a good long time though. It is odd...

 

[Domanating]

Seems like a more advanced case of what my mantis has in the recent topic i posted:

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=23262

mine only has 1 of those black spots on each side plus the last section of the abdomen getting dark. I highly doubt mine will survive longer. If your mantis still looks fine with all those infections you can consider yourself lucky, you've got a survivor!

 

[Termite48]

When in doubt about the origin of the sore or the secondary effect of the treatment, you can try a salt water solution applied with a cotton swab. See if this is strong enough before you proceed with hydrogen peroxide which is a powerful yet usually innocuous treatment. Strong sunlight cannot hurt.

 

[Precarious]

Seems like a more advanced case of what my mantis has in the recent topic i posted:

http://mantidforum.n...showtopic=23262

mine only has 1 of those black spots on each side plus the last section of the abdomen getting dark. I highly doubt mine will survive longer. If your mantis still looks fine with all those infections you can consider yourself lucky, you've got a survivor!

I believe what people generally call 'black death' is a form of necrosis where portions of the body actually die. Unfortunately, that is what I see in your post. I don't think that here. Looks more like a bad infection, with scabbing (the dark spots) where pus oozed out. I'm betting the black spots wipe off when I clean her. I could be wrong.

She seems absolutely normal, very active, and eats normally. I only noticed this because I was looking very close at her since she's a new pet.

I'll track her progress and post updates here.

My first adult male Oxyopsis gracilis had what looked to be cancerous sores on his abdomen yet he lived a full life and fathered my whole Oxy colony which is now going on the 3rd generation, so I don't write a mantis off until it's really over.

 

[Termite48]

Henry: If you try either the saline or the hydrogen peroxide, you can know that few pathogens can live in the presence of either of these two chemicals. You can always rinse afterward with sterile water or at least boiled drinking water. If it persists after these treatments, a light dusting of powdered sulfur is not a bad idea.

 

[Rick]

I've seen plenty of mantids with those black "scabs" and they were never an issue. I don't think it is the "black death" as some are saying.

 

[Precarious]

I've seen plenty of mantids with those black "scabs" and they were never an issue. I don't think it is the "black death" as some are saying.

Thanks for the input Rick. I agree.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Thanks for the input Rick. I agree.

Me too! It looks as though these are two small penetrating wounds that oozed hemolymph that then scabbed over. The scab helps protect against bacteria, but it also blocks the access of substances like hydrogen peroxide which loses its efficiency very quickly. Bacteria are not usually a problem with this kind of wound in insects, but fungi certainly are and they will not respond to antibiotics. I think that yr mantis has solved its own problem.

 

[mantisboy]

Precarious...you always have the most insane photos....I am in awe! One of my female Euros developed those same spots about 2 months ago and they completely filled in. But it never happened with her 2 peers. She appears to be perfectly healthy and I hate to say it....but I almost wonder if they are like stretch marks.

 

[Precarious]

Precarious...you always have the most insane photos....I am in awe! One of my female Euros developed those same spots about 2 months ago and they completely filled in. But it never happened with her 2 peers. She appears to be perfectly healthy and I hate to say it....but I almost wonder if they are like stretch marks.

Thanks. She just laid an ooth yesterday and looks perfectly healthy so I guess it's nothing to worry about. May be more common than we know because you have to really look to notice.

 

[mantisboy]

I'll take a pic of my female tomorrow and post it up.....looks identical. It's right on that same seam that ungulates and pulses. She got pretty big before her first ooth which is why I noted the whole "stretch marks" thing.

 

[Domanating]

I've just found out that my 2 females have that same infection. It might be a very common issue.

 

[mantisboy]

This is where I always have a problem on this site.....posting pics...I guess it doesn't like Image Shack....any suggestion for posting pics?

 

[Precarious]

This is where I always have a problem on this site.....posting pics...I guess it doesn't like Image Shack....any suggestion for posting pics?

I use Photobucket but any service will do. Just use the link that starts and ends with IMG in brackets.

 

[mantisboy]

 

[mantisboy]