Mantis molting

[Monza geckos]

Hi just wondering can arms antennae and legs all be fixed in a molt just for future reference

[JeffreH]

Some Phasmids are capable of regenerating lost limbs within adult molts, but it is uncommon. The structures may develop to some extent in subsequent molts but they will not be replaced in entirety.

So in short - no, they cannot replace new limbs (nor antennae) with each molt.

[Truffs1178]

Some Phasmids are capable of regenerating lost limbs within adult molts, but it is uncommon.

Like JeffreH said some Phasmids can by the adult molt but uncommon. Remember that Phasmids and Mantids are different things so they are capable of doing different things. I think a baby mantids antenna will grow back to some extent but not as much for a leg. There are a few interesting things that Phasmids can do which are uncommon in mantids.

Edit: Just in case your interested here are the orders that each insect belongs in.

Phasmatodea - Stick insects

Phylliidae - Leaf insects

Mantodea - Mantids

[Monza geckos]

thanks guess ill just have to be careful with timing humidity and heat to the right amiunt near molting so no damage occurs however i have read that vaseline can put wing cases back into place by putting some underneath the top wing case attaching it to the bottom and the attaching the bottom to the abdomen then after a week rinsing and drying very carefully with a little water and toilet paper

[JeffreH]

I'm not sure about that - most insects have a determinant development that involves molts up until adulthood. It is during these molts that some new tissue is repaired and the cuticle is replaced. I don't think it is possible to encourage new development of wing tissue by coating it in vaseline and encouraging it to stay in a particular location.

Are you talking about preservation of the insect for pinning purposes or treating them to "heal" damaged wings while living?

Fun somewhat relevant fact: The inner lining of the Foregut, Hindgut, and "brain cavity" of insects, along with their entire trachael system is also molted along with the exterior exoskeleton. Insects be crazy!

[Truffs1178]

thanks guess ill just have to be careful with timing humidity and heat to the right amiunt near molting so no damage occurs however i have read that vaseline can put wing cases back into place by putting some underneath the top wing case attaching it to the bottom and the attaching the bottom to the abdomen then after a week rinsing and drying very carefully with a little water and toilet paper

That would never work. An insect can't heal itself like vertebrates can. It will heal after each molt and mantids won't molt anymore once they have reached adulthood. Where did you read that?

[Truffs1178]

The inner lining of the Foregut, Hindgut, and "brain cavity" of insects, along with their entire trachael system is also molted along with the exterior exoskeleton. Insects be crazy!

They sure can. Same with the midgut. Whoever names those parts sure was creative.

[JeffreH]

Don't mean to take the thread in a different direction (feel free to knock us back on track Monza Geckos!) but the midgut is not lined with cuticle and is therefore not molted, rather, it is replaced continually by basal epithelium if my memory serves me right. I think I hear more people using the terms foregut, midgut and hindgut in the field over stomatodeum, mesenteron and...proctodeum? There are enough structures with daunting names in insects, I vote we make the digestive tract nice and simple LOL

Yay for bug geeks!

[Truffs1178]

Don't really know much about the internals of insects yet. I just know the care and breeding. Arn't the fore,hind and midgut all inside the insect. I just said midgut because I thought you had missed it out.

[JeffreH]

No worries Jack -it was a good observation! Plus, it is an odd thing that the midgut lacks cuticle yet the other portions contain it. I think the foregut is shed through the mouth and the hindgut through the anus...

The foregut is basically a food storeage resevoir that contains the "crop" of the insect. It also contains the proventriculus which helps to grind food particles down to be processed by the midgut. The proventriculus is heavily sclerotized like "teeth" to help accomplish this task.
The midgut is the primary digestive area, which is probably why it isn't lined with cuticle (otherwise it may digested?). It contains gastric caeca that basically secrete digestive enzymes and increase surface area for absorption (much like villi/microvilli of our GI tract). The midgut is lined with a thin peritrophic membrane and epithelial cells that are constantly renewed.
The hindgut is rather unexciting - it contains maliphiagian tubules that sort of act like "kidneys" and the large intestine of our body in that they maintain fluid and ion balance.

Internal digestive anatomy in a nutshell = )

[Monza geckos]

Yeah bout the Vaseline trick I ment that if a mantid had a bad molt and it's wing cases were out of alignment it would work the same way as a cast

[Truffs1178]

No I still don't think it would work.

[Silkmoth]

Yes they can, antennae grow back in one to two molts. Legs take longer depending on severity. Arms usually not too well.
I am always nervous when my mantids molt. I've had some sad losses but not often. I have put the worst in the freeze if they cannot survive. Others are fine even though they look abit wonky.
Its important to make certain they have good footing as well as plenty space beneath when they hang.
I would not use vaseline. If it gets in their spericules they will die. Help them hang so thier wings will grow straight.

[JeffreH]

Good info Silkmoth - found this nice bit of literature to explain the physiology behind it:
Regeneration - It's All Fun And Games Even If Someone Loses A Limb

I stand corrected. I had based my previous response on literature and experience with the flies and wasps I work with; but failed to make the connection that those are holometablous insects who will only have the ability to lose any limb or antennae structure in their adult life stage. It would make sense for nymphal stages to have at least some degree of regeneration in subsequent moltings.