u/Fine_Butterfly_2145

Marvel molted to adulthood four days ago. It was a copy book molt - clean, no sign of any injury. He grew his wings and all seemed well for about 12 hours. Then I noticed a small bead of what looked like hemolymph on the right hand side of the end of his abdomen. Over the next day or so it seemed to harden, but today it looks like this… Very far from normal, and it’s leaking a fair bit more. When he dragged that deflated abdomen over my hand, it left a trail of clear fluid.

Whatever this is, he is compensating incredibly well. There is no change in his behaviour. He is hunting moths, he is climbing, he even flew. From what this looks like, I’m guessing his chances aren’t good, but I really need other eyes on this. I am hopeless when it is one of my own.

Also, I have no understanding of what caused this. His enclosure is mesh, he has nothing in his way. I observed the molt, there was nothing.

Thank you in advance.

This is a wild Apteromantis (I think). It’s been hanging out around my outdoor enclosures with my two current h.membranacea buddies. I’ve never seen a mantis behave like this before. Can anyone tell me what it’s doing shaking his tail feather like that, and whether any other species does the same?

Found this little nymph on the outside of my outdoor mesh enclosure staring at my female adult hierodula membranacae and wiggling the tip of its abdomen in tight little circles! It can only be one or the other because it certainly isn’t Empusa. Any guesses?