Creobroter urbanus laid an egg sac... without mating

[Thekla]

This morning my Creobroter urbanus female laid an egg sac, but I've never mated her.
Do praying mantises produce phantom egg sacs as tarantulas do sometimes? Or could this in some miraculous way be viable? Also, will she now be dying soon? I only got her in February as N2 or N3. She matured in April.

Laying the egg sac:


Hardened egg sac:


Devouring a roach after her hard work:

 

[pannaking22]

Yeah it'll be a dud. She should still live a while longer.

 

[mantisfan101]

No, only Brunneria borealis reproduces asexually. Female mantids will continue to lay eggs even without a mate. If not then they’d become eggbound and die.

 

[Thekla]

Thanks, guys! So, nothing to worry about and she'll be with me a while longer if she continues to lay eggs.
Should I remove the egg sac? Or just leave it where it is?

 

[mantisfan101]

You can leave it although personally I’d take it out and preserve it.

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

No, only Brunneria borealis reproduces asexually. Female mantids will continue to lay eggs even without a mate. If not then they’d become eggbound and die.

This is not entirely true. It is the only strictly parthenogenetic species, but other species can do it as a last resort. I once had a Stagmomantis ootheca that was laid by an unmated female, and it hatched! It was only a few nymphs, but it was still amazing. I would keep the eggsack in a cup for a few months. It will not hurt the eggsack’s value as a specimen, and you will prevent any random nymphs from showing up in your house, @Thekla.

 

[mantisfan101]

That is indeed true; there were some instances of some species that reproduced via prthenogenesis but b. Borealis is really the only species with nonmales at all

 

[Thekla]

This is not entirely true. It is the only strictly parthenogenetic species, but other species can do it as a last resort. I once had a Stagmomantis ootheca that was laid by an unmated female, and it hatched! It was only a few nymphs, but it was still amazing. I would keep the eggsack in a cup for a few months. It will not hurt the eggsack’s value as a specimen, and you will prevent any random nymphs from showing up in your house, @Thekla.

I wouldn't mind keeping the eggsack, but how do I do that?

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

I wouldn't mind keeping the eggsack, but how do I do that?

I use 32-oz deli cups, and I attach the bottom of the ootheca to the lid with silicone glue.

 

[Thekla]

I use 32-oz deli cups, and I attach the bottom of the ootheca to the lid with silicone glue.

Just to be sure, you'd turn the eggsack by 180 degrees from how it's in the picture, yes?

And what about humidity/ventilation? Do you use kitchen paper or something else like vermiculite?

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

You would want the part that is attached to the wood to be glued to the top. I use coconut fiber for humidity, but moist paper towels probably work.

 

[Thekla]

Thanks. I'll do that. One last question if you don't mind: Should I do it right now or could I leave it in her enclosure for another few days or weeks. About what time span until hatching (even though it's probably not happening) we're talking about?

 

[Andrea82]

Thanks. I'll do that. One last question if you don't mind: Should I do it right now or could I leave it in her enclosure for another few days or weeks. About what time span until hatching (even though it's probably not happening) we're talking about?

Most species ooths hatch within 6 weeks.