# What do you do with unfertilized oothecae?



## dgerndt (Nov 26, 2010)

So I got an adult female Egyptian mantis earlier this month, and I was told that she never mated and her eggs aren't fertile. Last night she laid her first ooth, and now I'm not sure what to do with it. I _would_ put it out in my garden, but seeing as she isn't a native species, I don't want any accidents. (What if she DID mate and her previous owner missed it?) But I don't want to just throw it out in the trash with smelly apple cores and used tissue and such, seeing as she put so much effort into laying those eggs. So my question for you is, what do _you_ do with not native unfertilized oothecae?


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## Pet Duck Boy (Nov 26, 2010)

Honestly, if you're sure it's not fertile, what's the point of keeping it? If you do have some doubts you can always just stick it in a warmish container and mist every so often. I've had lots of doubts to whether the ooth my WC Gonatista female is fertile. Of course, I'm still treating it like a fertile ooth anyways just because she's wild-caught. Oh, you can always dry it out and save it? I'm sure that's feasible...but it might get a little smelly at first from rotting unfertilized eggs.  Good luck!


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## dgerndt (Nov 26, 2010)

Myrmecologist said:


> Honestly, if you're sure it's not fertile, what's the point of keeping it? If you do have some doubts you can always just stick it in a warmish container and mist every so often. I've had lots of doubts to whether the ooth my WC Gonatista female is fertile. Of course, I'm still treating it like a fertile ooth anyways just because she's wild-caught. Oh, you can always dry it out and save it? I'm sure that's feasible...but it might get a little smelly at first from rotting unfertilized eggs.  Good luck!


Drying it out sounds like a good idea. I plan on drying and preserving my Chinese mantis when she passes. I guess I could just start a mini mantis collection.


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## LauraMG (Nov 26, 2010)

You could use it as a book stop, or a coffee table conversation piece. Perhaps a gag gift for a dirty Santa party! :lol: I just throw them in the trash when they're not fertile


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## MantidLord (Nov 26, 2010)

I feed them to my crickets. They love them. I think they think there are eggs inside and they're getting revenge.


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## hibiscusmile (Nov 28, 2010)

Feeding them off is excellant idea! I save mine for displays!


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## PhilinYuma (Nov 28, 2010)

It is a little known fact that the Chinese mantis has been bred over the centuries by the Chinese to lay large ooths that, when boiled in water with a little soy sauce, make a delicious soup, not unlike the better known bird's nest soup. Try it, you'll like it!

_Caveat:_

_I have been advised by my lawyers to warn you that neither I nor my heirs can be held in anyway responsible for any adverse effects, __up to and including a most disgusting death,__ on anyone who consumes this delicious dish._


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## GreenOasis (Nov 28, 2010)

You could paint them with clear nail polish &amp; make a pair of fancy, stylish &amp; "Green" earrings! (Okay, I'm just weird and I think things that elaborate, from NATURE, are COOL!)


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## sporeworld (Nov 28, 2010)

Hmmm... Oooth-based accessories...? A cottage industry... An engagment ring with a phasmid ovum as the stone. Long engagement, then *POP* goes the stone...

Something sentimental about a ring stone that can propogate itself parthogenically. Bummer if it never hatched, huh...


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## Rick (Nov 29, 2010)

Display case if I don't already have the species. Otherwise it gets thrown out.


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## dgerndt (Nov 29, 2010)

I'm drying it out under a lamp, and I'm going to save it. It's interesting to look at. I don't think I'd make it into an earring, though. My boyfriend already thinks I'm weird for keeping mantids as pets. :lol:


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## yen_saw (Nov 30, 2010)

Just keep it


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## dgerndt (Dec 2, 2010)

yen_saw said:


> Just keep it


Oh, nice collection!


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## GreenOasis (Jan 3, 2011)

yen_saw said:


> Just keep it


Stole yer pic! (For personal use only, of course!) (And because it's awesome!)

Hubby will enjoy looking it over when he gets home.


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## Ntsees (Jan 3, 2011)

If the ooth looks pretty decent, I keep it. Each mantid has their own type of ooth and who knows, maybe someday someone will be interested in mantids and you'll be able to tell them that this is what the oothecae of this certain species looks like.

Edit: Well, I typed up the comment without looking at the comments. All I have to say now is wow at Yen's picture.


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## dgerndt (Jan 4, 2011)

It's a good thing I didn't throw them out, because they started hatching!! lol. Turns out my female WAS fertile.


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## lion (Jan 6, 2011)

Funny things are happening around the world you might just discover a parthenogenic mantis.

From stories I hear some reptile people have had this happen.


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## naeff002 (Jan 6, 2011)

I'm going to make a bord to now. I mis the Idolomantis ooth Yen


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## GreenOasis (Jan 6, 2011)

lion said:


> Funny things are happening around the world you might just discover a parthenogenic mantis.
> 
> From stories I hear some reptile people have had this happen.


Uuhm...you *do* realize that Brunners are completely parthenogenetic, right? (It's an all-female mantis species.) :smarty: There are other species that have laid self-fertile eggs, but with Brunners, it's standard for the species.


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## lion (Jan 6, 2011)

My first hint came from cockroaches.


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## lion (Jan 6, 2011)

Do you know much about mantis sperm-retention?


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## dgerndt (Jan 6, 2011)

lion said:


> Do you know much about mantis sperm-retention?


Nope. Just that they keep the sperm and it can fertilize hundreds of eggs over a long period of time.


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## yen_saw (Jan 10, 2011)

naeff002 said:


> I'm going to make a bord to now. I mis the Idolomantis ooth Yen


That board was made quite a while ago Kevin, it was back in 2007 if I remember correctly, when i had my fist batch of Idolomantis nymphs.


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 10, 2011)

That's what I do with mine too Yen, nice setup!


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