Chinese Mantis ootheca

[Arianji]

It has been a while so hey everybody. On to the point, I found a MASSIVE female chinese mantis in the parking lot the other day. Knowing winter was coming (pardon my reference) I snatched her up and took her home. Suspecting the only reason she was still alive this close to the first frost (which is tonight) was because she had not yet laid her ootheca. My suspicions were validated as this afternoon she laid the ootheca in the extra large critter keeper I am housing her in. Here's the tricky part, she laid the mass to the corner wall of the keeper, rather than the ample amount of sticks and leaves that were in the enclosure. So here's my questions:

How/should I remove the ootheca from the wall?

Does the ootheca have to overwinter, or can I just leave it at room temp and wait the 8 weeks and they will hatch?

How much longer do you think the female will live (I do not suspect by much, but she is large and healthy looking).

If I am to remove the ootheca what should I put it in, at what temp. and for how long?

Thank you in advance for your responses

 

[Arianji]

Update, the female mantis is still alive, she has made no other ootheca. She seems active still, crawling all over the cage especially hanging upside down from the grate. I have been misting her lightly every other day to keep humidity up. I plan on feeding her some small crickets tomorrow, hopefully she will respond and feed, if not the t's get more crickets.

 

[Tenodera]

You could cut the ootheca off safely if you do it carefully and close to the wall. However unless you need the keeper for something else, it's ok to leave it there.
It doesn't need a diapause, so if you want to raise the babies over winter you can do that just fine.
Lifespan can be affected by how old she is and how often you feed her. Can't do anything about the first part, but feeding less often (not every day like you would if she was growing or gravid) can help her live longer. My record died Christmas day, but I've heard of them making it longer.
If you want to hatch it early, you can incubate the ooth at room temperature. For overwintering, the fridge should be fine. I just leave my ooths in the garage, lol. Humidity can be maintained with very occasional spraying or more frequently with good ventilation, but the ooth is pretty resistant to drying.