Pregnant or injured?

[H_Ercule_S]

I've only seen pictures of fat bootied lady mantises ready to pop before, never one that is in the process of getting big. This pretty lady's been around the garden center for about a week. She's darker than any mantis I've seen before and has an almost purple hue, I've actually only ever seen her chilling on a certain dark purple grassy plant. Today I found her over 100 feet away on our forklifts. She has become very skittish, tracking every movement within 3 feet with her head and also now has furled wings. She will not display when I tried to prod her into it and she also will not eat.

Anyone can see her wings aren't in the right position but I have outlined a spot on her abdomen that has "puffed out" I guess, its not the same on the other side but oddly there is a layer of skin under it just like normal. Are these fall/heat/predator injury signs or does she have several dozen in the oven?

 

[Rick]

If adult they are technically always pregnant. It does look like a possible injury. Hard to say though because the picture is dark.

 

[dmina]

Yeah, you can't see much in that picture... Is the area oozing?

 

[[email protected]]

Is her eye black in the day? Her wings were normal before? maybe she was in some kind of accident?

Try to get her to drink water, or honey water by putting a drop on her front arm.

 

[H_Ercule_S]

She's been eating crickets regularly and is just fine now, though she has trouble grasping the screen in her cage with both rear legs. It's actually quite funny, this picture shows how she normally rests in her cup, and yes, she supports her back on that stick...

 

[Domanating]

That honestly is worrysome position. Don't take my word for it but every mantis I kept with gradual loss of the legs won't live long

 

[Gizmo]

That honestly is worrysome position. Don't take my word for it but every mantis I kept with gradual loss of the legs won't live long

Oh no this is what I am dealing with. My European mantis has gotten large again -- like this pic -- except she isn't laying another oothica.

Her end quarters hang down like that and it seems to be because of it's weight. I have put stackable items in her container in the hopes that she will figure out she can crawl along the screen over one and it will bring her butt up to the screen to lay eggs.

That was last night and I'll check on her again when I get home.

I should note that about a month ago we discovered she lost one of her legs. She seemed to do fine despite that, but I worry that now it's an issue because of her weight. Also I should note that every one of her legs is grasping the top, unlike the last pic H_Ercule_S posted.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I would get rid of the substrate, cant be much room in there for her.

 

[PlayingMantis]

Could be getting old. As mantises age, wear and tear takes a toll on their bodies and they may begin losing feet and legs. I've had older females that had quite large abdomens but ended up being too weak to lay ooths again. But I don't mean to be too pessimistic, maybe yours can still hang on for a little while longer. You can add additional mesh and screening to her container so she will have an easier time gripping.