chinese mantid egg case

[StephanieH]

My female just laid an egg case last night. How long will she live after laying, and what do I do now. She is in an exo-terra 12 x 12 x 18. The bad part is she put it right where the front doors come together.
Thanks

 

[the toe cutter]

My large female popped out a huge case 4 weeks ago and she shows no sign of slowing down yet! But last year my females died around the same time this Thursday will be 5 weeks, I hope she makes it!

 

[dtknow]

No chance for multiple cases in this sp.?

 

[Bugs In Cyberspace]

Mantises are seasonal in the USA, so her lifespan will be drawing to an end as the season cools. She is capable of laying several more egg cases (oothecae) if she is fed well and kept at room temperature or better.

 

[StephanieH]

How do I take care of the oothecae? She is in my snake room and it's about 80 in there. She is still eating very well.

 

[Vespula]

This is cool! My Carolina mantis laid an egg sac last weekend! 'Tis the season, I suppose.

 

[Bugs In Cyberspace]

Throw the egg case in a paper bag (white, if you have one that color) and keep it under the eve of your home, etc. The outdoors will provide the "natural" exposures to light, temperature and humidity.

Or, you can keep it indoors but risk factors increase when humans are involved.

 

[1Lord Of Ants1]

If you had this mantis in captivity since it was an adult, then the oothecae is worthless. Just like hens, female mantids will lay ooths whether fertile or not during egg season. There's always some chance a wild mantis has been fertilized though. She probably has less then a month to live by now.

 

[Bugs In Cyberspace]

Wild caught (adult) female mantises are almost always fertilized.