# Pic of European Ooth?



## cloud jaguar (Nov 20, 2009)

I have a wildcaught ootheca that I think is s. limbata but it seems a bit small and the zipper is more pronounced - I have a hunch that it may be m. religiosa but not sure what those oothecae look like and can't seem to find pics that work of it - can someone direct me to a pic or post one? Thanks


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## massaman (Nov 20, 2009)

this is what a european mantis ooth would look like!







http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/9601/oothw.jpg


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## kamakiri (Nov 21, 2009)

The shape and size of the limbata ooths seems to vary quite a bit. They are pretty consistent on the light and dark areas, but that varies with age. Limbata ooths also typically have light foam 'bands' on either side of the zipper, though they are easily removed by tarsal claws and age.

With all the ooths I've gotten with this batch of limbata, I've seen a fair amount of variation in the zippers too. Stacked, alternating, and nearly side by side for the alternating layers. Each female seems to have her own typical style, but there are variations from the same female laying on different substrate like branch/twig vs lid.


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## Rick (Nov 21, 2009)

Arkanis said:


> I have a wildcaught ootheca that I think is s. limbata but it seems a bit small and the zipper is more pronounced - I have a hunch that it may be m. religiosa but not sure what those oothecae look like and can't seem to find pics that work of it - can someone direct me to a pic or post one? Thanks


Ooths vary in size, even wild ones. These two look very different.


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## wero626 (Nov 21, 2009)

I would say that a Stagmomantis Limbata has more pronouced zipper of where there gonna hatch from europeans have a flat zipper Limbata's have a zipper that sticks out =] hope you get a good hatch rate good luck on whatever sp it is...


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## cloud jaguar (Nov 21, 2009)

thanks folks - i guess i will just have to wait and see


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## PhilinYuma (Nov 21, 2009)

massaman said:


> this is what a european mantis ooth would look like!


Cool pic, Massaman! Did you take it yourself or take it from the Insect Store site without acknowledgment?


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## Rick (Nov 21, 2009)

Arkanis said:


> thanks folks - i guess i will just have to wait and see


I wouldn't think you would have to wait and see. An ID should be very easy. Do you even have the european mantis out there? If you can post a pic an ID can be made. I wouldn't think you could confuse a limbata ooth with a european ooth. A narrow wing mantis ooth looks like a cross between the two.


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## Peter Clausen (Nov 22, 2009)

_S. limbata_ ooths are pretty firm and slender with more of a contrasting light-colored zipper. _M. religiosa_ tend be more more globular (not as much as _T. sinensis_ but headed that direction) and more unicolor and significantly larger/foamier (but also not as large as _T. sinensis_).


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## bassist (Nov 22, 2009)

Rick said:


> I wouldn't think you would have to wait and see. An ID should be very easy. Do you even have the european mantis out there?


_Mantis religiosa_ occurs in California and are the only mantids I've found in my area the passed few months.


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## Rick (Nov 22, 2009)

bassist said:


> _Mantis religiosa_ occurs in California and are the only mantids I've found in my area the passed few months.


Thanks! I thought they only were found in the North.


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## bassist (Nov 22, 2009)

Rick said:


> Thanks! I thought they only were found in the North.


Thought so too but since gardeners have been using mantid oothecae as natural pest control (even though most of the nymphs would most likely move on or die) there's bound to have been a few of the so called _Tenodera sinensis _oothecae actually being _Mantis religiosa_ ootheca.


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## agent A (Nov 22, 2009)

One way to tell is to wait until it hatches. Nymphs are a dark brownish black color and flat and rounded if they are european. Also, european hatchlings are very weak. Not sure about limbata, but I've seen european hatchlings so that's how I know what they look like.


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## Peter Clausen (Nov 23, 2009)

I was digging through my computer for a parasitic wasp photo and found this.

On left is S. limbata (already hatched, so imagine it was beige through that central strip).

On the right is an unhatched M. religiosa.


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## Rick (Nov 23, 2009)

Peter said:


> I was digging through my computer for a parasitic wasp photo and found this. On left is S. limbata (already hatched, so imagine it was beige through that central strip).
> 
> On the right is an unhatched M. religiosa.


Great pic. No way could you confuse those two. The european is also covered in a lot of foam.


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