moulting

[Frankie Fan]

how do you know when a Mantis is about to moult?

cheers xx.

 

[robo mantis]

it is like a snake it will get like a mirkey color and usually will not eat for a few day.

 

[Ian]

As said above. They will usually stay in the same position for up to a few days. Also, the larger the specimens, you will notice the wing buds slightly puff up. This is espeically noticable on the sub adult specimens.

 

[Rick]

I tend to notice that their thorax also looks thicker.

 

[OGIGA]

In my experience, it's quite unpredictable. Sometimes, they have a really large meal in the evening and I find them molted in the morning. Other times, when they don't eat, they don't molt and then die. Yes, and other times, when they don't eat, they molt a few days later.

 

[Rick]

I can always tell when they're about to molt. If you know the signs you wil be able to predict it.

 

[jfmantis]

But what are the signs? I've heard that they hang upside down, but all the mantids I've ever had have done that all that constantly and they were adult mantids.

 

[OGIGA]

I watched two mantises molt to adult. Right before they molt, they hang upside down. They're a little clumsy at this point so they might fall. Anyway, their breathing becomes a little different. Their abdomen looks like they're taking deep, slow breaths. I think it's them moving their insides. And then, molting will proceed soon.