Mantis abdomen strange color

[mantisguy101]

I remember reading about this in the forum somewhere, but now i've seen it for myself.

My Hierodula M. (when very full) curls its abdomen to reveal a yellow, red, blacki-sh color underneath. It appears that there's some liquid discharge (tough i wouldn't say it has a distinct color) in the "cracks" between each shell segment.

My Clinea H. (who when also very full) did the opposite. Since it has its abdomen curled up most of the time, when it brought it to a flat level, I could clearly see a reddish, fleshy looking substance underneath. It scared me, because I usually let her sit on my hand but when i looked over, it seemed as tough her abdomen had ripped open or something along the lines of this.

Both mantids, however full, are now sitting in their appropriate cages, but they don't show signs of this atm.

John

 

[mantisguy101]

Correction: on "top" rather than underneath for the clinea.

 

[Mantida]

Mantis blood is green, so there is nothing to worry about. They are just markings. Some mantids have them, and others don't. When threatened, they flatten out their abdomens to reveal these colors and scare off predators. When full, the abdomen bulges out so much the color just shows. My budwings have it also, and so did my Texicorns. The color in between each segment is fleshy and somewhat shiny, correct?

 

[mantisguy101]

Ah that's right. It looks as though its liquid, but I contemplated it just being extremely shiny material. Thanks. Threatened eh? I didn't know that.

 

[macro junkie]

 

[Mantida]

MJ, you beat me to it.

Mine don't show it as well, but here are some pics of the coloration.

 

[tier]

 

[Rick]

That is normal. All the mantids in the pics are normal too.

 

[macro junkie]