Sunday, October 9, 2011

Well, I was seriously thinking about not posting anything tonight...until I went throughout the babies and found one that was just finishing up molting. It was still trying to get its abdomen free of the exoskeleton. I'm not surprised, but I am pleased, that this one molted.  It's one of the largest  -  and now THE largest. One I had set aside for a co-worker(who may not be getting it after all because his girlfriend has a phobia of "bugs"). Anyway, There was the one molt. Then, there was the one timid one from yesterday that I thought was going to die  -  it did. Which now leaves 58that have not molted but should be preparing to molt. Well, It will be a while before the last to molt will be ready, but I can only hope that they will eat well in preparation. Tomorrow I may be one less as when I was getting the last two to molt out to feed check on/feed them, one container slipped out of my grasp and fell to the floor. It seemed ok. The poor thing, but I will be surprised if it's alive tomorrow. Surely it must have suffered some kind of injury in the fall.  Well, we shall see.

Here is a photo of the exoskeleton of the recently molted one.

And now, here is a photo of the recent graduate itself.
You might be able to see that some of the exoskeleton has stuck to the urticating bristles on its abdomen. This has happened to a few others previously without and obvious ill side effects, so I am not going to try to remove it for fear I may cause an injury. It is a good deal bigger than yesterday. I guess that is all I have for now. I am trying to find the last photo of this little one so I can compare them. If I find it I will definitely edit and post it.

AHA!! I found it! So here they are together for comparison,

It's hard to believe it's the same one! Good night all.

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