# Time to lay ooth?



## pizzuti (Sep 11, 2007)

I have one wild-caught European female who became an adult about a month and a half ago. She is very fat, and hasn't eaten anything in over two weeks; I'm assuming its because there's no room in her abdomen for more food. She used to eat voraciously, and slowly cut back to eating only parts of her prey and then nothing as her abdomen became taught. She mated about 2 weeks ago, and I am waiting for her to lay her first ooth.

In mid-September we're getting close to the first frost here, and I'm assuming the vast majority of mantids in the wild are laying their ooths. But mine, in her very well-fed and hospitable environment, hasn't done it yet. How long does it normally take? I am hoping she's very close, but 45 - 50 days in to adulthood seems like a long time to wait.


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## Ben.M (Sep 11, 2007)

It normaly takes 8 weeks after maturity that the female will lay an ooth so got about a week to go


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## hibiscusmile (Sep 11, 2007)

I mated mine a week ago and they have just started to lay, One died yesterday without making ooth. Do not know why, The others are still eating.


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## pizzuti (Sep 11, 2007)

How long after reaching adulthood did that happen?


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## pizzuti (Sep 16, 2007)

September 16 and still no ooth...

She's still not eating, either, but looks and seems very healthy otherwise. She doesn't seem to be quite as fat as she was a week ago.


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## Rick (Sep 16, 2007)

Just don't worry about it. She will lay it when she is ready. People tend to worry way too much about their mantids.


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## Nick Barta (Sep 16, 2007)

Amen!


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