I learned something new yesterday. Once a female orchid mantis is mounted by a male, it won't open up her abdomen for mating unless she's coaxed to do so. The male does this by quickly scratching the back of her wings with his forelegs. I'd hear this flutter and just think it was wingbeats of a defensive position, but then I saw it personally. Here's a few pics, slightly out of chronological order.
After mating.
Connection pic. This (different from above) female ate one of my males. I made the mistake of trying to introduce them face to face, instead of the male behind the female's view
Had to put this one down. Couldn't move it's head, arms criss crossed, limp movement. It fell after molting and couldn't dry properly. She probably would have survived and turned out okay if I had been home to prop her back upside down.
The survivors, freshly molted (on my birthday, no less!)
As a nymph
Final molt. Taken around 3AM when I (luckily) had insomnia
This species has been great. It's the fastest maturing species I've kept. Both pairs mated within 2-3 days of mounting, and within a day of each other. Hopefully it'll be my first breeding success.
After mating.
Connection pic. This (different from above) female ate one of my males. I made the mistake of trying to introduce them face to face, instead of the male behind the female's view
Had to put this one down. Couldn't move it's head, arms criss crossed, limp movement. It fell after molting and couldn't dry properly. She probably would have survived and turned out okay if I had been home to prop her back upside down.
The survivors, freshly molted (on my birthday, no less!)
As a nymph
Final molt. Taken around 3AM when I (luckily) had insomnia
This species has been great. It's the fastest maturing species I've kept. Both pairs mated within 2-3 days of mounting, and within a day of each other. Hopefully it'll be my first breeding success.
