Hoping someone can shed some light

[Sublimeballs]

Ok so I got 4.12 Dubia roaches for breeding about a month ago. Ive had 2 males die off so far(had 3 litters so I'm not worried about it they'll be replaced soon enough) Leaving me with 2.12. Well I just checked on them and one of my females has molted.... But appears to have changed sex. She now has full wings like a male. I don't know if that just how they look after molting or what. But it appears I now have 3.11.


Anyone???

[franks]

I am not sure exactly what you are seeing unless you can post some pics (which would be too late now I guess) but very large nymphs all look like females. It's possible you just counted an old nymph as a female. Also that ratio is fine. If you want to up your breeding output raise temps to 95 for a short while and offer some oranges and very little raw sugar. That makes them multiply.

[franks]

Also: that ratio of males to females is fine.

[Sublimeballs]

The nymphs are only a couple weeks old so that's not it, too small. I'm not worried about the ratio the nymphs will grow, probably just got a couple older males in the group. Here's what I'm talking about. I bought 4.12 to breed for feeders and 2 males have died. One of my females(100% possitive she was a female) molted and now appears to be male. I don't know if females have full wings when they molt or not but the roach is no longer white(was when I discovered this) and the wings are still indicating male.

Here's the molt

[Sublimeballs]

And here's after the molt

[Sublimeballs]

Weird, huh?

[franks]

It's pretty interesting. Can you take a pic of the molt with the flash on?

[Sublimeballs]

How's this? I'm so intrigued by the whole thing.

[franks]

See, from the picture I'm not 100% convinced it is not a nymph. How long have you been raising a colony? If you have been doing this a few generations you will absolutely know and I will have to take your word for it because you are there hands-on. If that's the case that's pretty wierd.

[Sublimeballs]

Only had them for 28 days. Only had 4.12 adults and no nymphs when I bought them. This is a full sized adult molt, and the nymphs are only a couple weeks old and still look like tiny pill bugs not even a half inch(takes months to get to adult size). It's definitely an adult female that molted and has full wings now like a male and appears to be a male. I don't know if its sex is actually different or what. This is pretty crazy.

Here's a size comparison of some of the nymphs and adults