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RIP: Riem, Ging, Gao, and Penh.

When I returned from Canada, all but one of my girls were dead. I will not leave my mantises for so long, ever again. Caring for them is a balancing act, and I was so wrong to think just anyone could do it with a little instruction. I was completely wrecked upon coming home at midnight to be greeted by dead babies after a 26 hour flight.
Two nights have since passed, and I'm feeling a lot better than I did. All of my attention and energy went towards my one survivor, Kwan, who's abdomen was leaf-thin due to lack of food, and eyes were dark and gray due to dehydration:

She also developed a fungal infection in her abdomen that I have been treating with honey and scrubbing. I think it's the very same kind of infection that claimed three of my four girls during my absence. Kwan seems to be doing better, and the infection doesn't appear to be spreading--so my fingers are crossed for her recovery.

Her eyes are back to their bright green color, and her abdomen is all plump now that she's been fed and watered. It's nice to see her looking her usual self again.

The empty terrariums were a hard pill to swallow, and I kind of ugly cried an entire night over it. Despite not getting a wink of sleep during my first night home, I carried through with prior plans the following morning of trekking the jungle, and returned with a tiny treasure:

She's the first mantis of my next generation, and I've named her Nohng. She's a Tenodera sinensis, just like Kwan. She isn't even an inch long yet, and I suspect that she is an L4 nymph, which makes her the youngest mantis I've brought home yet. One day, she'll grow to be as big and strong as her sister.

I'm going to miss all my dearly departed girls, especially Penh--my first and favorite mantis. They will be very missed, and though there will always be more mantises to care for, to suggest that my first girls are 'replaceable' would be a tragic lie.

Here's hoping they carry out a celebrated existence in Valhalla.

RIP
Riem

Ging

Gao

And Penh

You girls meant a whole lot to me :<