Teneral mating, your experiences.

[Allpet Roaches]

Cockroach females often mate when they are still pale in color, just minutes after the molt to maturity. The first species this was noted in was Diploptera punctata in 1955 (Roth & Willis). This has not yet been documented in most species but has been seen in the majority that are kept in captivity. Please note what species you have seen this in (or when you see it in the future) and list whether the female is still white, has or has not inflated the wings fully, or is starting to gain some color. Photos of teneral mating are also welcome in this thread.

 

[Keith]

I've only seen a dubia female mate right after molting, her body was fully expanded but of course no wings for this species.

I have witnessed male discoids displaying to a mature female nymph hours before she shed to become an adult I think they might release a pre molt chemical. They waited a day before trying to mate so she had full color.

 

[Allpet Roaches]

Thanks! Here is Schultesia lampyridiformis.

Even if you've had the same experience for a specific species as someone here, feel free to add that you've also seen it.

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[s.hartzog]

My E.posticus mate before the females dry out all the time. The males will surround the females and display while they shed then as soon as the wings straighten they chase them around the cage and hook up.

I posted a pic of it in breeding and nymph issues if somebody that knows what they are doing wants to link it.

 

[Zephyr]

I can second this for E. posticus; Personally I've only seen it in all the species listed above! I would be inclined to say Eublaberus sp. "Pantanal" also mates while teneral but I don't watch mine enough to see this.

 

[Allpet Roaches]

I have seen it in a number of other species including the three most common Blaberus species. I was thinking you might offer some new species or genera. You'll have to start looking at your roaches every once in a while Zephyr.

 

[jebbewocky]

My experience?

Wife wouldn't go for it.

 

[Nicolas Rousseaux]

noticed today: Diploptera punctata, female still white, wings not expanded at all, body still full of air, it was possible to see trough her!

 

[johningeorgia]

Third for E. Posticus mating while white. I see it routinely. I think it happens in my dubia colony but I haven't caught them red handed yet ! Roach voters , sounds a little sick to me !

 

[happy1892]

Byrsotria sp. "Cuba" from roachcrossing (Zephyr).

It seemed like the males were interested in the female that recently molted (not sure how recently) more than the other females. The males were more jittery than usual (the recently molted female has more pheromones than the others?).

The temperature was not very warm before she mated, about 71F degrees. I turned on the heater and after a while I came back and found the female darker and then left, then came back after several minutes (or maybe 20 minutes) and found her mating.

 

[happy1892]

These pictures are when I first found her.

This is a different Byrsotria "Cuba" female that I took videos and pictures of a few weeks or so ago. She was soft but not very soft. I am not sure exactly when she molted. I did not see her when I took a look in their container about 5 or less hours before I found her and took these pictures but I did not look through the substrate so she could have molted the night before.