Is there any way to tell if a mantis has recently molted?

[uralowl]

I know this may sound like a stupid question, but bear with me...

I am almost certain my Blue Flash Mantis must have molted at least a couple of days ago. He looks huge now, he was already on his third molt when I got him, but he seems to have doubled in size since then. Problem is, I can't find the discarded exoskeleton on the twig he is always perched on or on the bottom of the enclosure, so I am not entirely sure whether he's molted or if I'm just going insane, lol. But I am 99% sure he looks a lot bigger today. He did eat 2 days ago and almost immediately lunged for the micro cricket, which is a bit odd if he was in premolt imo. Most of my other mantids have either completely ignored their food or just swiped at it without actually grabbing it when they were getting ready to molt.

 

[happy1892]

I know this may sound like a stupid question, but bear with me...

I am almost certain my Blue Flash Mantis must have molted at least a couple of days ago. He looks huge now, he was already on his third molt when I got him, but he seems to have doubled in size since then. Problem is, I can't find the discarded exoskeleton on the twig he is always perched on or on the bottom of the enclosure, so I am not entirely sure whether he's molted or if I'm just going insane, lol. But I am 99% sure he looks a lot bigger today. He did eat 2 days ago and almost immediately lunged for the micro cricket, which is a bit odd if he was in premolt imo. Most of my other mantids have either completely ignored their food or just swiped at it without actually grabbing it when they were getting ready to molt.

It is not odd that he ate a cricket two days ago. He probably molted because he looks bigger. Was his abdomen very thin after he got bigger?

 

[Termite48]

Usually the clue is the shed exoskeleton (exuvial). If it is just looking bigger it may be as happy1892 stated that the abdomen may be extra stretched and rounded because of a large meal. If there is no shed, then where did it go?

 

[happy1892]

Usually the clue is the shed exoskeleton (exuvial). If it is just looking bigger it may be as happy1892 stated that the abdomen may be extra stretched and rounded because of a large meal. If there is no shed, then where did it go?

No, I wrote "Was his abdomen very thine after he got bigger?". A little while after molting their abdomens get thin.

 

[uralowl]

It is not odd that he ate a cricket two days ago. He probably molted because he looks bigger. Was his abdomen very thin after he got bigger?

He does look a bit thinner now, he was pretty fat beforehand.

 

[happy1892]

He does look a bit thinner now, he was pretty fat beforehand.

Just a little bit. It would be a lot. Before you fed him after he looked bigger did his abdomen look very thin?

 

[uralowl]

Just a little bit. It would be a lot. Before you fed him after he looked bigger did his abdomen look very thine?

Nope, he's always been a bit on the chubby side around the abdomen. He most likely hasn't actually molted and I am indeed just going insane, lol.

 

[happy1892]

Nope, he's always been a bit on the chubby side around the abdomen. He most likely hasn't actually molted and I am indeed just going insane, lol.

Oh! When my Blue Flash were young (L2-L4 or L2-L3) after they molted they were not very thin only a little thinner than they were and bigger.

 

[Ntsees]

A couple ways I can tell that a mantid has molted: (1) I see the exoskeleton on the bottom, (2) I notice that it's upper half (head, thorax, forlegs) is a lot larger than before, and (3) I keep my mantids fat and when they are skinny again (abdomen), it is an indication that they have molted. And if I am attentive to my mantids, I would notice that all of the above 3 has happened.

 

[happy1892]

A couple ways I can tell that a mantid has molted: (1) I see the exoskeleton on the bottom, (2) I notice that it's upper half (head, thorax, forlegs) is a lot larger than before, and (3) I keep my mantids fat and when they are skinny again (abdomen), it is an indication that they have molted. And if I am attentive to my mantids, I would notice that all of the above 3 has happened.

Blue Flash are different from other mantids because when they are a younger nymph and molt they do not get much thinner but they are bigger. I only had three Sphodromantis sp. "Blue Flash". You wrote "A couple ways I can tell that a mantid has molted:" a couple means two not a few.

 

[uralowl]

I remember when my Giant Asian Mantis molted a few weeks ago, she got very thin just before she molted and just after. She was on her 5th molt I believe.

I am still not really sure if my Blue Flash has molted, he looks mostly the same except for the fact I'm sure he's bigger than before. I guess I can just take a photo of him and when he supposedly molts again, I can see if there's any difference in the size.

 

[Ntsees]

...they do not get much thinner but they are bigger....

I was referring to if they were well fed, ate often, and are fat, whatever stage the instar may be. It's not that their abdomen are much thinner than before, but that it will not be as bulging as it previously was.

Interesting, so the abdomen of an instar blue flash will not expand after eating a lot.

 

[happy1892]

I was referring to if they were well fed, ate often, and are fat, whatever stage the instar may be. It's not that their abdomen are much thinner than before, but that it will not be as bulging as it previously was.

Interesting, so the abdomen of an instar blue flash will not expand after eating a lot.

They will expand after eating a lot. I forgot to say that all three of the Blue Flash nymphs had huge abdomens before molting (I fed them as much as they could eat) and a few hours after molting their abdomens were not much thinner but still obvious. All three of mine when L2 to L4 ate the same day they molted. When they were older nymphs I think I remember they did not eat for at least a day before molting. Other mantids I had got much thinner a few hours after molting even if they were fat (I mean huge abdomen LOL!). "they do not get much thinner but they are bigger" does not mean the abdomen of an instar Blue Flash will not expand after eating a lot but it could be that way.