Molting confusion

[minomantis]

I'm wondering if this has happened to anyone. So my L7 female Chinese mantis going to molt very soon. She's been preparing for about 4 days now. Last night and this morning she has been going through these little moments where it looks like she has started the process of molting but then stops. Almost as if she forgot how to molt or don't think she's ready. It's the weirdest thing to me because she has done this several times. (I even made a status here about it...false alarm...) But I'm wondering if this has happened to anyone or if it means anything. She hasn't molted yet and I'm sure she's waiting for darkness but I'm curious. The head tucks in and the forelegs go up and everything like she's going to and then stops. Let me know!

 

[agent A]

sometimes they get stuck right as the molt is occurring

if the skin looks loose and wrinkly, this has happened and she may be gone

I would see how she is in the morning though

 

[ScienceGirl]

Maybe she starts but then realizes that her body isn't ready to undergo the molting process yet. If you're seeing this behavior, it should happen soon, though, if at all.

 

[minomantis]

Wow!!! After literally 6 days of not eating and seeming like she was going to molt, the mantis molted this morning into adulthood!

 

[Jinx]

Congrats!