# Ootheca fertility



## Gizmo (Oct 8, 2015)

I have had my Chinese European mantis for one month and in that time it's just been her. Last weekend she made a rather large ootheca. I just assumed it was fertile but in reading online I learned that they will lay oothecas even if they have not mated.

I read somewhere online where a guy sliced part of an ootheca open to check to see if it was fertile, then placed the piece back on it when he saw that it was. That doesn't sound like a good idea to me and I'd rather take really good care of an ootheca all winter and risk finding out later that I wasted my time than to attempt something like that and possibly ruin it all.

From what I've read online there is no other way of knowing if an ootheca is fertile or not.

Does anyone here have any suggestions/ideas on what we should do?


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## mantisman 230 (Oct 8, 2015)

Wait and see if it hatches


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## Rick (Oct 9, 2015)

Gizmo said:


> I have had my Chinese mantis for one month and in that time it's just been her. Last weekend she made a rather large ootheca. I just assumed it was fertile but in reading online I learned that they will lay oothecas even if they have not mated.
> 
> I read somewhere online where a guy sliced part of an ootheca open to check to see if it was fertile, then placed the piece back on it when he saw that it was. That doesn't sound like a good idea to me and I'd rather take really good care of an ootheca all winter and risk finding out later that I wasted my time than to attempt something like that and possibly ruin it all.
> 
> ...


Yes, they lay ooths whether mated or not. Females that are unmated will lay infertile ooths. Slicing an ootheca open is not going to inform you if it is fertile unless you slice it open long enough after it was laid that you would see developing nymphs. At that point you may as well have just waited to see if it hatched. Slicing an ooth open will result in the death of all eggs near the slice.

I suggest you just wait. The species you're referring to doesn't take very long to hatch so just wait it out (~4-6 weeks).

If your mantis was found outdoors as an adult chances are she was mated. If you found her before she was an adult and you have had her ever since and she has had no access to a male then the ooth will be infertile.


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## Gizmo (Oct 9, 2015)

Rick said:


> Yes, they lay ooths whether mated or not. Females that are unmated will lay infertile ooths. Slicing an ootheca open is not going to inform you if it is fertile unless you slice it open long enough after it was laid that you would see developing nymphs. At that point you may as well have just waited to see if it hatched. Slicing an ooth open will result in the death of all eggs near the slice.
> 
> I suggest you just wait. The species you're referring to doesn't take very long to hatch so just wait it out (~4-6 weeks).
> 
> If your mantis was found outdoors as an adult chances are she was mated. If you found her before she was an adult and you have had her ever since and she has had no access to a male then the ooth will be infertile.


Thank you so much! This info is both helpful and gives me hope! But I should point out that according to Salmonsaladsandwich in this thread, my mantis is European. Does that change anything?

And I was of the impression they hatch in the spring? Is it really possible they'll hatch in November?


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## Rick (Oct 9, 2015)

Gizmo said:


> Thank you so much! This info is both helpful and gives me hope! But I should point out that according to Salmonsaladsandwich in this thread, my mantis is European. Does that change anything?
> 
> And I was of the impression they hatch in the spring? Is it really possible they'll hatch in November?


It is a European mantis. What I said still applies. Mantids in captivity can hatch at any time of year. Your species likes a cold period but will hatch after the cold period assuming you keep it indoors.


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## mantisman 230 (Oct 9, 2015)

Indeed, diapause is best for Mantis religiosa


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## womantis (Oct 26, 2015)

questions regarding relgiosa:

what is recommeded length for diapause?

what it typical time to hatch after diapause (range)?

my wild caught female laid an ooth three weeks ago - ok for diapause or have i missed the window?


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## PlayingMantis (Nov 2, 2015)

With thin-walled ooths, you can hold them against a light and see if there are eyeballs. However this only works with certain species like creos, orchids and gongy's, and the eyeballs are only visible about 1 week or so before they hatch.

Here is a thread I posted: http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=35262&amp;hl=candling


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