# Question for the experts



## admin (Dec 6, 2004)

Rick

Joined: 19 Sep 2004

Posts: 153

Location: NC

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 8:18 am Post subject: Question for the experts

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In chinese mantids how often should the female be mated? Does one mating fertilize one ootheca? So is it necessary for the female to be mated before each ootheca she lays. Or is one mating good enough to fertilize all her ootheca? I ask because I have mated my female chinese several times. Only the first couple times did her body accept the males sperm. All the other times she rejected it and I found it laying at the bottom of her enclosure. Anyone know?

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conway

Joined: 14 Dec 2003

Posts: 34

Location: Dorset, UK

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 11:23 am Post subject:

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one mate is enough! depending on species they can lay from 1 to sometimes even 10! you didnt have to mate her over n over there not mammals like us LOL, if only it was that easy choosing when!

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jezzy607

Joined: 31 Oct 2003

Posts: 100

Location: New York/Indiana

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 12:05 pm Post subject:

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If she was wildcaught as an adult, she probably had already mated, and one mating is enough. I have had a M. paykullii lay 27 ooths that all hatched between 20-50 nymphs each from one mating. You should expect a max of 6 or 7 fertile ooths from a chinese mantid.

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Rick

Joined: 19 Sep 2004

Posts: 153

Location: NC

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 8:24 pm Post subject:

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I wasn't asking about the number of ooths. I am well aware of how many a chinese can end up laying. Just never heard or read anything on how often they should mate. Thanks for the replies.


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## Joe (Jan 19, 2005)

It's recomended that you mate the female after every 2-3 ooths it makes. Thats what i do and it works, if i just mate it once, it seems like ooths stop being fertile after the female makes about 4 ooths.

Joe


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