The legend of sleepy hollow, the headless mantis rides again

[Shelbycsx]

I've got a bunch of chinese nymphs (L1's, now molting into L2). I noticed a strange creature walking around the bottom of a cup, which I at first thought was some form of stick invert. Closer inspection revealed that it was a mantis body walking around without a head. Yes, that's right, this thing walked around for about thirty minutes after I noticed it (who knows how long prior it's head was removed). It even attempted to right itself when flipped onto it's back by me. I would have filmed it, but the camera isn't in my possession right now. Amazing how viciously voracious their appetite is, causing them to eat anything they can clamp onto, including their own brethren!!!

 

[yen_saw]

Is true that praying mantis can live quite some time without head. It is amazing i know. One adult Egyptian mantis (female) i had lived for at least 5 days without the head. She even showed me a threat post with its wings widely spread out with little provoke, pretty scary stuff.

 

[Sheldon Johnson]

yeah, i had one that had its head removed, started mating, walked off then my girlfriend got freaked out that if it somehow bit her (with no head?) she would become a zombie! so she made me put it in the bin.

Next day, it climbs out of the bin and is walking across the floor! my girlfriend was so freaked out she made me ensure that it would move again!

Its common knowledge that they'll just keep going, but its the extent of their afte death adventures which is always worth writting about.

 

[Jwonni]

Next day, it climbs out of the bin and is walking across the floor! my girlfriend was so freaked

You must have wet yourself laughing at her i would have

i had read about them going on for a while and finishing mating but i did not realise it could go on for this long

 

[OGIGA]

They don't have a central nervous system, right? WHen I took a biology class, their heads are basically for seeing and feeding. Now, I have no idea how it would eat without a head. I mean, the neck doesn't chew, does it?

 

[Sheldon Johnson]

Exactly, they cant eat without a head, thats what makes it so funny. She also told me to dispose of the ootheca as if we got bitten by the nymphs we would also be infected by the zombie virus!