Mantis egg sack??

[BrotherM213]

Two weeks ago I caught a mantis while I was roofing a house. Two days ago I was checking on it and I noticed something white, firmly attached to the lid. I have never kept a mantis before and haven't ever seen a mantis egg, but this is the only thing I can think that it could be. was wondering if anyone would know what it is, Here are a few pics. Thanks!

This is the mantis I caught-just a common one around here

 

[GideonSmith08]

Yes, that would be an eggcase.

 

[clam1991]

yup keep it warm for a couple weeks and expect a whole lotta babies

 

[BrotherM213]

Thanks for the help.

I also wanted to know if It is ok to carefully pull the egg case off and place it in a container till it hatches, or is it vital to be stuck to one spot? Because This one is attached to the screen lid and I don't want them to hatch and just be crawling all over the place.

Thanks again for the help-

 

[ParabuthusKing]

that would be an ootheca, or eggcase, and my suggestion would be to try and put the lid in a secondary container such as a large rubbermaid if you actually want to keep the babies, otherwise you may get pathogens entering and destroying the eggs. Otherwise you may be able to salvage it with removal, but the egg case made by mantids are very tough and well attached so it will be difficult, exciting though!!

 

[davidbarber1]

I would leave it where it is and contain it. That is what I have done with all mine. By the way, they probably won't hatch out until after winter. All of mine that laid in the fall hatched out after winter.

David

 

[bhamgreg]

do other bugs make an egg case basically identicla to that?

 

[davidbarber1]

Not really. It is mantid. Go with that. When the larvae hatch, they will drop out by thin threads, so have a plant or something you want to place them on. It's quite interesting to watch and it may take awhile for all of them to drop. If you put them in your backyard, and they thrive, you may not have a pest problem after a short time

David

 

[bhamgreg]

Cool Then that means i had mantids hatch out in my yard this spring. shame i didnt notice it when they were hatching.

 

[BrotherM213]

the lid is actually covering three cages (one tank sectioned off) so I will have to try to contain it. It was layed directly over the fake leaf branches I had put in there for the mantis. How long do they hang off of the egg case before crawling around?

This info has helped a bunch. Thanks!

 

[davidbarber1]

They don't hang, they kind of drop. Once on the ground, they will start crawling around almost immediately. Some will tend to just stay put. There's going to be a bunch, so they kind of want to move out of the way as the others come down.

David

 

[BrotherM213]

Alright, now that I know more about what is going to happen I feel a little more confident that the little ones will make once/if they do hatch through.

thanks for the help,
Your info has been invaluable.

Matt

 

[BrotherM213]

If you put them in your backyard, and they thrive, you may not have a pest problem after a short time...

David

by the way, thanks for the tip. I was wondering what I was going to do with them when they hatched, so I will probably hold on to them until spring, then let them loose and see what they do. I might not have to spray for bugs next summer if it works!!

 

[Vulgaris]

Just wanted to make this clear to you so it does not happen... DON'T keep the hatchlings together!!!! they CAN and WILL eat each other!!!!!!!!

I myself made this mistake of keeping babies together...

and so did my Bio teacher last year... she is a teacher! and she was asking "where did they all go?!"

I can't believe no one else here has not told you this yet.

 

[Harrod]

I know that they eat each other, so I wasn't planning on keeping them together. Plus I raise T's, so I know the dangers of keeping predatory insects together-(unless your looking to quickly downsize!) just kidding, I wouldn't do that. Thanks though for the concern.