Transplanting Heads?!

[sinensispsyched]

Back on topic, please? We went from hellish scientific experiments to politics.

Besides, our politics are rotten enough. We don't need its followers to be so, too.

Hmmm, anyone for a ghost mantis-headed cricket?

 

[Sneaky123]

Back on topic, please? We went from hellish scientific experiments to politics.

Besides, our politics are rotten enough. We don't need its followers to be so, too.

Hmmm, anyone for a ghost mantis-headed cricket?

You know, that gave me an idea. You know those mantids that get injured, or go through a mismolt so bad that they literally have no hope unless you hand-feed them for the rest of their lives? Why not try and transplant its head onto another insect, give it a second chance? Crickets are omnivores, I'm sure one could live off the diet of a mantis for awhile.

 

[Introvertebrate]

We could talk about politicians conducting hellish scientific experiments.

 

[Introvertebrate]

I remembered that my old 1962 Life Nature Library book had something on this topic. In the attached pictures, a headless female moth grows to maturity and deposits eggs after her brain is inserted into the abdomen.

 

[sinensispsyched]

We could talk about politicians conducting hellish scientific experiments.

That's already been covered. It's called America.

 

[sinensispsyched]

I remembered that my old 1962 Life Nature Library book had something on this topic. In the attached pictures, a headless female moth grows to maturity and deposits eggs after her brain is inserted into the abdomen.

That is crazy and amazing at the same time!

 

[MandellaMandy123]

I remembered that my old 1962 Life Nature Library book had something on this topic. In the attached pictures, a headless female moth grows to maturity and deposits eggs after her brain is inserted into the abdomen.

Oh my goodness that is so freaky I think I'll have nightmares for weeks!

 

[ScienceGirl]

I remembered that my old 1962 Life Nature Library book had something on this topic. In the attached pictures, a headless female moth grows to maturity and deposits eggs after her brain is inserted into the abdomen.

Oh my!!!

This would be very cool, but the question is whether you can get the head of the "donar" insect to attatch to that of the recipient. Most insects are small, and therefore rather delicate and complex. The "surgeon" would have to be skilled and careful. Not to mention that you probably couldn't just grab a head, wiggle it around, and have it connect with a snapping noise. There are nerve endings and other things that would have to connect for the head to control the rest of the body, let alone attatch right.

I'd be quite interested, but rather disturbed, if this becomes a possibility. :blink: :smarty:

(Haha! )

 

[gripen]

Am I the only one that just wants a mantis with a mantis head :blink:

 

[Tony C]

Am I the only one that just wants a mantis with a mantis head :blink:

Preferably the one it hatched with.

 

[angelofdeathzz]

After reading this I think I want to see a mantis with a few peoples heads, I'll make sure it takes, I'll use duct tape and crazy glue, feed ya all the flies you can handle...

 

[Bug Trader]

My only question is why, I see talk of removing a females head for breeding, Im sure I saw removing them just for fun, when will people stop trying to play "god" and take a scientific approach to this based on preserving whats here and working to establish the species in their NATURAL form. I see so many of you posting threads up about whats been lost, whats going extinct in the wild and you actually joke about screwing around with what little is here............

 

[ScienceGirl]

Am I the only one that just wants a mantis with a mantis head :blink:

My only question is why, I see talk of removing a females head for breeding, Im sure I saw removing them just for fun, when will people stop trying to play "god" and take a scientific approach to this based on preserving whats here and working to establish the species in their NATURAL form. I see so many of you posting threads up about whats been lost, whats going extinct in the wild and you actually joke about screwing around with what little is here............

I agree. Guess why mantids are still alive today? Because they were made the way they were supposed to be.

They are already perfect, they don't need fixing. If a mantids head just "fell" off, then it is probably supposed to die. Not to mention natural selection. Perhaps part of the reason that some species of mantids are failing to flourish in captivity is because they are being sold willy-nilly. If they're the runt of the ooth, no biggy, the sellers will just pop 'em in a cup and send them off. The genes that shouldn't get passed on are being passed on.

 

[angelofdeathzz]

I sold hundreds and hundreds of Idolo that I bred myself and only 1 or 2 people had any success besides me after that with them, so believe me it's people getting things they can't handle more than them getting something weak, this time around I will only sell to people that can handle it, not people that are all "I want I want".

That may sound rude/harsh but it's also the truth, sorry to say.

 

[Tony C]

I sold hundreds and hundreds of Idolo that I bred myself and only 1 or 2 people had any success besides me after that with them, so believe me it's people getting things they can't handle more than them getting something weak, this time around I will only sell to people that can handle it, not people that are all "I want I want".

That may sound rude/harsh but it's also the truth, sorry to say.

I'm out of "likes" for the day, but good on you. I have been reading through old threads and can see definite boom/bust and fad cycles leading to the loss of species. A core of dedicated, specialized breeders working to maintain species would do wonders for the hobby.

 

[Bug Trader]

Hey Nick your Idolos are a perfect example yes, and the lack of quality husbandry has played a roll with many who want and do not prepare or educate themselves. But some issues I have touched on do play a roll in the area more toned toward sub par care vs actual genetic issues such as people not keeping certain species warm enough, this creates slow growth which will lead to a mantid dieing of old age before it matures in some cases and in others leads to weak males that I THINK may not be as fertile or it could be the on the females side of things, who you get your stock from plays a role and do not think just because it looks fed its healthy and on track .

 

[angelofdeathzz]

All very true Michael, wait is that a hello kitty?

 

[brancsikia339]

I'm out of "likes" for the day, but good on you. I have been reading through old threads and can see definite boom/bust and fad cycles leading to the loss of species. A core of dedicated, specialized breeders working to maintain species would do wonders for the hobby.

The boom/busts go on so much it's hard to count. What happened to Hagiotata hofmanni? Pnigomantis medioconstricta? Archimantis? Acanthops? They were all common a while ago, earlier this year actually. And yes, i know some of you have them, but compared to the amount of people who had them straight from the original stock, it's not that much

 

[Graz73]

All that political stuff? Ugh. I could to to some political website if I wanted that, or just talk to the idiots in my office...

Anyways, I created this topic because it was interesting, not because I was suggesting we all make franken-bugs or anything. Just like that mantis photo someone posted, maybe techniques like this could teach people about breeding or even HELP preserve species somehow.

I'm not suggesting we all go beheading our mantises!

 

[Birdman]

If you transplanted a mantis head on a moth or cricket - Would it want to eat itself? Hummmmmmm :tt2: