Another oothica!

[Jojomama]

Hi fellow mantid enthusiasts!

My brown large mantid laid another oothica… just wondering if anyone thinks they could be fertilised as I only found this girl a week before she laid her first oothica? Thank you

 

[happy1892]

Are these mantises from Australia? If you found the female mantis as an adult in the wild, I would guess she is already mated, and has fertile oothecas. What kind of mantis is she?

 

[Jojomama]

Are these mantises from Australia? If you found the female mantis as an adult in the wild, I would guess she is already mated, and has fertile oothecas. What kind of mantis is she?

Yes she’s an Aussie large brown mantid and we ccouldnt get over how big she was then after laying each oothica her belly goes down so much. She seems quite happy the only reason I actually kept her was because my daughter found her on her car wheel and it was lucky she didn’t just drive and crush her. I have her in a big terrarium which I feed her flies almost daily (unsure how many times I should feed her but she eats easily 6-10 and if any flies left over like 3-6 that’s her meal the next day. She ate so much yesterday just like the day before she laid her first one.

 

[yen_saw]

Archimantis latistyla (likely) and most likely fertile. You should expect around 50-150 nymphs hatching out after around 40 days. If you plan to keep some nymphs as pet, have a culture of fruit fly ready. Or just release in a suitable habitat near where you found the mantis.

 

[Jojomama]

Archimantis latistyla (likely) and most likely fertile. You should expect around 50-150 nymphs hatching out after around 40 days. If you plan to keep some nymphs as pet, have a culture of fruit fly ready. Or just release in a suitable habitat near where you found the mantis.

Thank you so much for helping identifying my girl!
Wow another 30 odd days to go hey I’m not bothering overwintering them as it’s quite hot here anyway and I figure in the wild they would naturally hatch sometime soon as it’s summer here. I’m very excited and will post when they (hopefully both will in their own time) hatch definitely going to keep some and everything I’ve read so far says after a day or two separate them as it turns into a bit of a purge day. Ironically my hubby has bought me a small walk in greenhouse for some veges and herbs I want to grow so I think these guys are going to be so helpful with keeping the bugs out hey! I’m just so fascinated by these creatures and hoping one day I’ll see a ghost or orchard mantid I may even give in a buy one online but atm they’re free from my yard for now check out a nymph version I found a week ago he’s shed 2 or 3 times and he’s gorgeous