is it molting

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thesexymantisboy

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how do i know if my mantis is molting. it is staying on the roof of the container and not moving from the spot. what is up with it?

 
What species? Size of container? What instar? Also has it ate in the last few days? If it hasnt eaten and its staying on roof it may be ready to molt. Dont move around or bump contaienr.

 
i think the species is Archimantis latistyla but im not sure. Its a light brown. I just got it today so i dont know when it last ate. there is a cockroach in there.

 
Most mantids do nothing but sit on the roof and don't move much. That is not a good indicator of molting. They will often refuse food for a couple days before molting. When the molt gets really near they will look a bit swoolen and will kind of look droopy. Once you get experienced you will know for sure when it is about to happen.

 
Depending on the size of mantid at this point you should try Hydei Fruitflies and you take a bamboo skewer and tape a needle around the end of skewer and then poke the FF letting it stay at tip of needle and then kinda move the FF in front of your mantis. If it denies food then it might be ready to molt or it could just be full. Try posting a pic of the mantis. Where did you get it from?

 
Chameleonare said:
Depending on the size of mantid at this point you should try Hydei Fruitflies and you take a bamboo skewer and tape a needle around the end of skewer and then poke the FF letting it stay at tip of needle and then kinda move the FF in front of your mantis. If it denies food then it might be ready to molt or it could just be full. Try posting a pic of the mantis. Where did you get it from?
Click to expand...
What's wrong with just putting a fruitfly in the tub with the mantis ? :rolleyes: ;)

 
thesexymantisboy said:
i think the species is Archimantis latistyla but im not sure. Its a light brown. I just got it today so i dont know when it last ate. there is a cockroach in there.
Click to expand...
Just noticed this (thanks Morpheus !)

You will not have this species, though maybe someone decided to label it such for some reason. Where was it from ?

 
Archimantis latistyla is Australian.

Cilnia humeralis is usually commonly refered to as the "wide arm mantis".

Unfortunately it is hard for a newcomer to mantids to differentuate between a mantis at rest upside down from the ceiling of its enclosure or preparing to moult?

All i can think of to say to you is a mantis preparing to molt will usually look a bit off colour, a bit ropey and will refuse food, they can often be seen to be hooking there claws into the perch to afford a good grip and often there abdomens will pulsate more than they would do normally when full, this usually happens when they are quite close to molting.

Dont attempt to handle your mantis if you think it is preparing to molt and also dont move the enclosure as you could inadvertantly dislodge it, good luck although i suspect from the date of the first post that its all over and done with now :)

 

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