Off wit' 'is 'ed!

[kamakiri]

So putting another pair of my S. limbata together this morning didn't quite go as planned. I should've just tried again later...since the male was more interested in my finger and a foam stopper...but it looked like he was ready and 'in the mood'.

The male walked right in front of the female and she put him in a head lock. Before she could bite I tried squeezing her thorax (worked before on others) ...to no avail. Then she bit his arm and already had him in a headlock. I gave up on saving him and ran to get some scissors. Snipped him mid-thorax and the body fell to the counter wings extended. Grabbed the fore wings and placed what was left of him on her back. The feet had trouble finding the right places to hang on to...but I started to blow on them anyway. A few moments later S-bending started and the preliminary connection was made with the claspers to the ovipositor lip, so I left them alone. Just checked on them and they are fully connected.

Hate to lose a male like that...but at least he got to mate one last time!

I didn't take any pictures, but I did notice that the thorax seems to have a lot of empty space in it...

Farewell, control number SM1R!

 

[batsofchaos]

That's some quick-thinking! My condolences for the fallen fellow, but it is quite fortunate you were able to get a mating out of it at least.

 

[Katnapper]

Well I guess it was either

or

in the Kamakiri house this morning! :huh:

 

[ismart]

I didn't take any pictures, but I did notice that the thorax seems to have a lot of empty space in it...

I have noticed this as well. There is a lot of empty space in the thorax. I had a few males bitten in half. I was almost tempted to glue them back together and see what happens! :lol:

 

[Rick]

Next time just grab her forelegs and pry them apart to get her to let go. Some people seem afraid to do this.

 

[kamakiri]

Next time just grab her forelegs and pry them apart to get her to let go. Some people seem afraid to do this.

The only real fear was ripping his head off, which was already in the headlock. On top of that he was grabbing her arms. I would have had to try opening all four sets of forarms...And I'd rather lose the male instead of the female. Replayed a couple of times in my head, and I think I did the right thing(s) in the right order.

Regarding the thorax...I almost think the thin end of a flat toothpick would have fit inside...

 

[hibiscusmile]

I seen that yesterday with a male orchid. And u did good!

 

[PhilinYuma]

The only real fear was ripping his head off, which was already in the headlock. On top of that he was grabbing her arms. I would have had to try opening all four sets of forarms...And I'd rather lose the male instead of the female. Replayed a couple of times in my head, and I think I did the right thing(s) in the right order.Regarding the thorax...I almost think the thin end of a flat toothpick would have fit inside...

Yeah. I did something like that myself some months ago. If you had pried them apart, there's a good chance that the female would have done the same thing again, and you might have damaged her. This way you ended up with a dead male and a successful (fingers crossed) mating instead of a dead male and no mating.

As you know, Grant, the crop occupies a substantial part of the thorax when it is full, which leaves an empty space when it is not. I guess that your guy had been too excited to eat for a while! Did the female get to eat part of him? It is said to increase her fecundity.

 

[kamakiri]

Yeah. I did something like that myself some months ago. If you had pried them apart, there's a good chance that the female would have done the same thing again, and you might have damaged her. This way you ended up with a dead male and a successful (fingers crossed) mating instead of a dead male and no mating.As you know, Grant, the crop occupies a substantial part of the thorax when it is full, which leaves an empty space when it is not. I guess that your guy had been too excited to eat for a while! Did the female get to eat part of him? It is said to increase her fecundity.

Can't say I understood the cross-sectional proportion of the crop space. It really was a surprise. I've seen other necks eaten and ripped by female's mandibles, but never a clean orthogonal snip like this...

She ate everything from the snip up so far. They're still connected as I type. She will likely eat the rest as they are only in a 24 oz. tub...Deeelux accommodations! I save the 'breeding room' for males *with* heads! :lol:

 

[kookamonga]

sad but interesting story lol.