Need some help with a praying mantis and an ootheca

[BigGreen]

I caught a praying mantis as a pet a while ago named big green, and about the day before yesterday she layed an ootheca. Is it possible baby praying mantises won't hatch out of it? I also am confused on what to do next, I just need a lot of information on how to raise them and keep the ootheca safe, and what not to do. Thank you!(also, I don't know much about bugs, I'm more of a bird person, so sorry if I posted this in the wrong place)

 

[jrh3]

We need to know what species it is. Since its wild caught, the ooth may need to go through diapause. It is probably fertile if you caught it as an adult.

 

[vicareux]

If you caught your mantis before she got wings,then you don't need to worry about hatchlings since the ooth is infertile
If your mantis already had full wings and didn't molt in your care,then you may have a fertile ooth on your hands,and depending on the species,will we be figuring out what to do next.

 

[viper69]

. Is it possible baby praying mantises won't hatch out of it?

Yes, but the ones I came across were always popping out little aliens

 

[BigGreen]

If you caught your mantis before she got wings,then you don't need to worry about hatchlings since the ooth is infertile
If your mantis already had full wings and didn't molt in your care,then you may have a fertile ooth on your hands,and depending on the species,will we be figuring out what to do next.

Yeah, she has not molted and has full wings, thank you for affirming me in that, do you know if I have to move the otheca?

 

[BigGreen]

We need to know what species it is. Since its wild caught, the ooth may need to go through diapause. It is probably fertile if you caught it as an adult.

I pretty sure my mantis is a European mantis, hope that helps, and thank you for helping me!

 

[vicareux]

Yeah, she has not molted and has full wings, thank you for affirming me in that, do you know if I have to move the otheca?

Let the ootheca harden for 4-5 days
If youre not comfortable raising hundrends of tiny mantis nymphs,then i reccomend placing the ooth outside where the natural process will happen and nymphs will scatter around in the wild after hatching.

If you want to keep them,here's what i did years back with mantis religiosa ootheca: Place a wet paper towel in a plastic cup,place the ooth inside (the higher the better since they need to be high to hatch and string out of the ooth properly) (Also orient the ootheca the way the female laid it) and keep a thin piece of cloth as a lid (Strech it out so the air can pass through). Keep the ooth in a cold temperature (from 53ish to 64ish should be fine) enviorment for around 10 weeks so it can go through a diapause. Keep that piece of paper towel wet so the ooth doesn't dry out.
After that,when you're ready to have them hatched,raise the temps to 70-80 and wait for them to hatch out (while still keeping the container wet).

 

[BigGreen]

We need to know what species it is. Since its wild caught, the ooth may need to go through diapause. It is probably fertile if you caught it as an adult.

Let the ootheca harden for 4-5 days
If youre not comfortable raising hundrends of tiny mantis nymphs,then i reccomend placing the ooth outside where the natural process will happen and nymphs will scatter around in the wild after hatching.

If you want to keep them,here's what i did years back with mantis religiosa ootheca: Place a wet paper towel in a plastic cup,place the ooth inside (the higher the better since they need to be high to hatch and string out of the ooth properly) (Also orient the ootheca the way the female laid it) and keep a thin piece of cloth as a lid (Strech it out so the air can pass through). Keep the ooth in a cold temperature (from 53ish to 64ish should be fine) enviorment for around 10 weeks so it can go through a diapause. Keep that piece of paper towel wet so the ooth doesn't dry out.
After that,when you're ready to have them hatched,raise the temps to 70-80 and wait for them to hatch out (while still keeping the container wet).

Thank you! I think I would want to raise them for a while and then set them out into my yard, it would be a very good experience! I will do this, thank you so much for helping me!

 

[BigGreen]

My praying mantis died today,
do praying mantis usually die after laying their ootheca?

 

[vicareux]

My praying mantis died today,
do praying mantis usually die after laying their ootheca?

Not really. Sorry that you lost your mantis. But she most likely died due to the old age. A very small number of wild female mantises survive November into December.

 

[BigGreen]

Not really. Sorry that you lost your mantis. But she most likely died due to the old age. A very small number of wild female mantises survive November into December.

I noticed she wasn't as active as before, I'm glad I got to have her for a while though, it was a really nice to have a mantis

 

[vicareux]

I noticed she wasn't as active as before, I'm glad I got to have her for a while though, it was a really nice to have a mantis

Well,you have that ooth,you may still raise nymphs from her,if its fertile! If not,i imagine you have tons of vendors online that will happily sell you a mantis nymph

 

[darkness975]

I noticed she wasn't as active as before, I'm glad I got to have her for a while though, it was a really nice to have a mantis

That's the thing about mantids. They're fascinating pets but sadly they do not live that long.

 

[MrGhostMantis]

That's the thing about mantids. They're fascinating pets but sadly they do not live that long.

I mean, Deroplatys have been known to go to 3 years but yes, not as long as our 8 legged friends sadly.

 

[BigGreen]

I mean, Deroplatys have been known to go to 3 years but yes, not as long as our 8 legged friends sadly.

I like praying mantis, but when it comes to spiders..... I only like the super hairy tarantulas and jumping spiders

 

[Dimity]

I found a female S limbata in October of 2020 and even though she only lived a couple of months she did leave me 1 ooth. I'm on her 3rd generation of nymphs plus 4 other species. It was so difficult to let her go I mummified her and have her in a little casket on my bedside table. (Don't judge me). Sorry for your loss.