Problems With Mantis Pinning

[Inkie]

Whenever I try and pin mantises, the same thing always happens. They turn black and rot, and I have to throw them away. I have not experienced this with any other insects. Here is a picture of a Stagmomantis limbata for reference- it was light brown when I pinned it, and now it has completely rotted. I have another mantis in the freezer waiting to be pinned, but I really want this one to turn out well. Does anyone have any ideas on how to prevent the specimen from rotting? After spreading, I keep the specimen in a dark, dry closet, free from pests and mold.

 

[Ambystoma]

Try soaking in 70% ethyl alcohol for a while beforehand and then quick drying.

 

[JP77]

If you can pin it in a hot, dry environment, that can prevent rot. Otherwise, sometimes if a mantis dies from an infection or other illness, rather than old age, that can cause it to rot. I also slice open the abdomen, particularly on large females, and carefully remove the internal organs, then pack the cavity with cotton swabs.

 

[happy1892]

I think you will need to cut a slit on it's abdomen (like on the side of the abdomen) and take out the guts. And maybe keep it dry. I have not tried pinning much before, but I have read a little about it.

 

[mantiseater]

i take out every thing in the abdomen

 

[Forcep]

This is normal among mantodea and orthoptera, they have a soft and juicy abdomen which will rot fast. Some people take the gut out but I never do that; I just dry them by oven. It may take some trial and error before you can handle your oven without ruining your specimen or foam board, but I would heat the oven on low heat, then stop heating and put in the specimen till the temperature dropped, then repeat the same steps till the specimen dries out.



Putting the specimen in alcohol can extract water from their body too, but I don't do that either cause alcohol can change the color of some mantis. This is a good way to treat other insects such as beetles though.



The green colored mantis will lost its color easily unless it is freeze dried. But only few people can get access to a freeze dryer machine by any chance.

 

[dmina]

Forcep =Those are beautiful ... You must have patience... good eyes, and steady hands...

 

[happy1892]

Forceps =The last photo Tenodera angustipennis?.

Inkie =Also, try to keep them away from the sunlight. I have been told that sunlight causes their color to fade.

 

[Rick]

You definitely want a place that is warm and very dry. I also wonder if putting them in the freezer does more harm. Use a kill jar to kill them instead maybe. A drying oven is a great idea if you have access to that or can make your home oven work. I wonder if a food dehydrator would work? We just bought one but my wife may be a little upset if I put dead bugs in it already.

I have decent success with pinning mantids but I've had plenty that rotted like that. I have not noticed a difference in removing the guts as opposed to leaving them in. They do dry faster with the guts removed. The mantids I've stored in alcohol do dry very fast after pinning but I've noticed their joints freeze up which makes pinning difficult.

 

[bobericc]

I spread the wings and pin first

Then i freeze the mantis to kill bacteria(and the mantis sometimes)

Then i leave it in front of a space heater, in about a week its completely dry and pretty well preserved. Though brittle