Just a Dud?

[chessman007]

I am just wondering for no real reason, Is it possible to distinguish an unfertilized ootheca from a fertilized one? :huh:

I am asking this question for no real reason yet, but it would be cool to know if I find one in the wild and want to know.

 

[myzticalboi]

Sometimes it is hard to tell if the ooth is fertilized or not. If the seller actually witnessed the mating and ooth laying by the female then most likely it is fertilized. But sometimes the ooth needs certain care in order for eggs to develop normally. Usually if the seller already has hatching ooths, the ooths laid after should be fertile. Proper care of the ooth and witnessed mating is the key to having better hatching rate of the ooth. But appearance wise, the ooth should not be black or in pieces or has any fungus.

 

[massaman]

well sometimes even if they mated theres a possibility the ooth will still not hatch as is the case with the Orthodera novaezealandiae (ministralis) from what What I read that even if the ooth is fertilized it may still not hatch but it just depends!

 

[PhilinYuma]

Wild caught ooths are more likely to be fertile than not, but if you collect them in the summer, they are likely to have hatched. Check the "zipper", the ridge that runs lengthwise down ooths that have one, and see if appears "unzipped".

But if you are unsure, keep in a moist warm place and let them dry out every week or so. I accidentally put a pot with three Parasphenadale ooths that I got from Yen in my hatchery, recently. I didn't look at them regularly since I knew that they wouldn't hatch, so I was surprised to find a few nymphs this morning. I got these ooths from Yen in early December, 2010!

 

[Rick]

There is no way to tell.

 

[chessman007]

OK, thanks for the info. I will use it next time i find an ootheca.

 

[MantidLord]

Although some mantids will lay ooths that aren't fertile and they look completely different than ooths that are fertile. For instance when I have unfertile I. oratoria females and they lay an ooth (never had any reproduce through parthenogenesis), the ooth is extremely skinny and often deformed. Of course this is not with all species as Rick said, there's no real way to tell. Just thought I'd add in my 2 cents.

 

[GreenOasis]

I've had some really mangled-looking Ghost ooths hatch, that I never thought were fertile (but misted them anyway, just in case.) And then I've had some very nice, plump-looking Ghost ooths incubated with the same messed-up ones that never hatched a thing.

So no, you really can't tell if they are fertile or not by looks alone. But, as others have pointed out, if you're getting them from the wild, you can often tell if they have already hatched out. Another point to look for is how dark the ooth looks, the older they are, the darker they are and the more likely that they've already hatched. Ooths of many species are a light creamy color...or greenish in the case of Ghosts...when first laid, but get darker as they mature & if they are old & already hatched out, they will likely to be VERY dark in color or even grayish as they decompose.

 

[sporeworld]

... For instance when I have unfertile I. oratoria females and they lay an ooth (never had any reproduce through parthenogenesis), the ooth is extremely skinny and often deformed. Of course this is not with all species as Rick said, there's no real way to tell. Just thought I'd add in my 2 cents.

I posted this somewhere else, but I wanted to re-mention it, I had a female I. oratoria that i caught as a nymph, raised alone and never introduced to another mantis. Laid a single ooth, and it hatched just fine.

 

[MantidLord]

Yeah, I've never had that luck with my I. oratoria females. If they weren't mated, their ooths were infertile. And I keep my ooths for a looong time before I give them to the crix.

@Sporeworld, I guess it varies upon mantids. I've certainly had "perfect" looking ooths not hatch but never have the weird looking ones ever hatched. Usually what I find with the species I mentioned is that the infertile ooths are either deformed looking or extremely small (like little ooth droppings). But like I said, this isn't with all species and is not a determining factor. Just noting my experiences.