Tenodera Catch 22

[Digger]

Or, the title might read: The Chinese Conundrum.

In an earlier post, I'd mentioned that one of my sub-adult T. sinensis devoured her just-molted-to-adult sister. That massive meal caused the sub-adult's abdomen to expand much larger (and heavier) that might be considered normal. In turn, her huge belly sagged nearly 90 deg causing a crease between her thorax and ab. This is not terribly unusual in Chinese. However, this crease is pretty severe, creating a small amount of exoskeleton damage at the bend.

Here's the Catch 22: She is ready to molt to adult. If I place her right-side-up, so her abdomen isn't bent 90 deg (in other words, she's placed on the floor) - she can't properly molt.

However, if she goes into hanging position with the abdomen flopping down 90 deg., the molt will fail. Either way she's screwed.

See what happens when you murder your sister?

Digger

 

[aNisip]

Those net pyramid cubes worked well for this conundrum. Place her at the angle so her abomen doesn't sag completly (almost vertical)then wheb she starts molting gently and carefully switch pyramid over so she is in normal molting position... I think this is how I remembered doing it once... ( )

Yeaup! Her sister's revenge from the inside-out! :lol:

 

[Digger]

I dont have a net pyramid, but do have a net box that I could set at an angle. Problem is resetting at early molt stage --- that is, catching that stage. We'll see what transpires.

 

[sally]

Good luck with that. We will see if karma applies to mantids :S

 

[MandellaMandy123]

That sounds like the best option. Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

[Digger]

Tiffany molted last night. To my surprise, she molted flawlessly despite the badly deformed abdomen. Two shots below. Top shows her 24 hours after the molt getting ready for her first post-molt meal (fat meal worm). Lower snapshot shows dropped exoskeleton as I found it. It has kept the shape of her pre-sub deformity.

I have not been able to examine her underside yet. I appears that she may be a he. Hope not.

Speaking of he-s: A wild male Chinese has been visiting my deck for the past two nights. Quite large and skittish. I'm wondering if he's one of my nymph transplants? Last night by the porch light and tonight on the outside table, next to Ponder's cage. Ponder has been aggressively calling (she's about to lay her third ooth). Could the chemical fingerprint she exudes (she's a completely different species) attract the wild male Tenodera sinensis??

 

[Jinx]

Glad to hear the molt went through okay.