What the Smurf??

[Benayla]

..........For the most part my Hierodula Membrenacea Nymphs have been doing fine for themselves since my last post. But, I go to sleep for about six hours, and woke up to find one dead. As far as I could tell it looked fine before I went to sleep. It didn't seem to want the cricket I gave it so I went back to fruit flies, but....Something obviously went wrong, that'Z all I know. For only being dead several hours at the very most, its face is already brown. (As revealed in the picture) Which leaves me wondering if the poor thing got sick. I remember watching this Mantis molt a week or two ago, and now....

So, since I suspect that its sibling in the one mesh cage might be a female I put her in her dead sibling's cage, since when "Prom Night" arrives I don't want to have to shove an adult male in and out of its small zipper door. Because it was difficult enough getting their parents in the same cage. Even though the picture doesn't clearly show its segments, does the abdomen shape indicate its gender yet? Or must I wait until (her?) Next molt. She molted right after the her now dead sibling did. 

 

[mantisfan101]

The crickets are sort of the red flag. I always try to steer away from feeding any of my carnivorous insects crickets, because of their aggression and cause for creating mystery deaths. If I were you, I would choose feeder roaches. Crickets and mealworms are what I call the fast food of the insect world. Roaches, flies, and some springtails are the much healthier choices.

 

[Benayla]

This one had never eaten a Cricket, where would I get a feeder roach? My options are limited to crickets and fruit flies.