This amazes me every time

[Mantis Lady]

Cochise did it again, bending herself to clean her abdomen. She is very fat and she can still do it? Have you guys seen your mantids doing this too? and if you have pics. please show them

 

[MantisGirl13]

I have never had a mantis do that! She is one flexible gal! 

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

I haven't seen any of  my other mantids doing it too. Cochise is doing it since she was a little nymph. maybe i should change her name in "Mrs Elastic" or somehing like hat?

 

[MantisGirl13]

No, Cochise is Cochise. It is cute how she does that! I didn't know that mantids cleaned their abdomen in the first place!

- MantisGirl13

 

[Velve]

A Rhombodera female of mine bent that way in order to eat the spermatophore a few hours after mating.

 

[Mantis Lady]

Ha, there is another one who does it.?

@Velve Nice pics. But does she doing it more often like my mantis does? Or was this the only time she did it?

 

[MantisGirl13]

I wonder if any others do it?

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mystymantis]

I had a female Carolina last year do it a few times. And my Giant Asian adult female Pearl did it as well. Amazing how flexible mantises can be!?

 

[Mantis Lady]

@MystymantisDo you have pictures of that? so yes, I like to see them.

 

[Ocelotbren]

That is crazy, I've never seen that before!

 

[Mantis Lady]

And I was thinking at first it is normal mantis behaviour. But it is Cochise. She is special

 

[Mystymantis]

@MystymantisDo you have pictures of that? so yes, I like to see them.

I don't remember if I got a picture or not. ?I have seen several of my mantises do it over the years. I think they are cleaning their back side or something? It is a fascinating behavior, but I have seen it in Chinese, Carolina, and Giant Asian mantises. My giant Asian female did it right after mating.

 

[MantisGirl13]

It is funny how flexible they can be! I would guess that only the larger species would do it though, from what I have seen so far on this forum  

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

Yeah it is. and if you see cochises very fat abdomen you won't think she is be able to do that.?

 

[MantisGirl13]

@Little Mantis  I know, right! She is one special creature!

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

My newest mantis Neyteri (L6) does it too. I saw her doing it this evening. I will post tomorrow a picture

 

[MantisGirl13]

Wow! You get all the special mantids!  Ok, not all of them  Mine are pretty special too! 

- MantisGirl13

 

[Jessie]

Anna and elsa or one of them did it.

 

[Mantis Lady]

Do you have pictures of that? I would like to see them .