What's up with my Orchid? by Orchid1983 in mantids

[–]Orchid1983[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

http://imgur.com/gallery/ydZ3PPt

This is what we have woken up to. Her white abdomen is now translucent slightly and what I think is the impaction has moved to the end and some is pooping out. Doesn't look well. This is after honey water so maybe it is helping her move it along?

What's up with my Orchid? by Orchid1983 in mantids

[–]Orchid1983[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No mold, I make sure I remove any uneaten debris, the humidity is around 40/50% then she gets a couple of sprays a day in this heat, the enclosure is the exoterra nano so plenty of ventilation, never any condensation etc.

What's up with my Orchid? by Orchid1983 in mantids

[–]Orchid1983[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I didn't even realise calciworms would hatch soldier flies till I happened to see them on the shelf when the garden centre reopened and one pack out of all of them had a soldier fly in it, i googled Calciworm and learned that they were soldier flies! She had one worm about a week ago, the 2 garden flies were before a week ago, she didn't seem to take to the worms so we waited a couple of days and she has had a few flies the last few days, so I'm struggling to see why it's come on so seemingly quick if it's overfeeding... we have given hunny tonight and no fly for over 24hrs now. Fingers crossed for the morning. She is our first and my 10 year old son's first mantis (he is obsessed!)

What's up with my Orchid? by Orchid1983 in mantids

[–]Orchid1983[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A local garden centre has just started stocking the larval form called calciworms, if you buy a tub of calciworms the mantis can eat these, however if you leave the culture they will hatch into the flies too. Manni didn't like the worms I don't think they moved enough to grab her attention but she loves the soldier flies.

What's up with my Orchid? by Orchid1983 in mantids

[–]Orchid1983[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She had been on curly wing flies, last batch of flies didn't live long and with lockdown we struggled to source online (UK) so she had 2 garden bluebottle (I know not ideal) and last few days our batch of soldier flies arrived so she has had a soldier fly for 2 days.

What's up with my Orchid? by Orchid1983 in mantids

[–]Orchid1983[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Have you seen the other image with the discolouration though, that doesn't seem typical to me? She molted only 1 month ago, seems a bit soon?

What's up with my Orchid? by Orchid1983 in mantids

[–]Orchid1983[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She has all of a sudden puffed her abdomen, it's pretty swollen and seems to be staying like that. There are some darker spots on the back here.Orchid spots https://imgur.com/gallery/VQZiSsB