# -Hypothetical method for nymph control? and for programming?



## CockroachYet (Jan 8, 2007)

-Hello all, that is a drasticall method ((and why?)) for both :

-1.-Reducing number of nymphs hatched by contoling the ooth volume / size?? and

-2.-For programming the hatching times??

-I was thinked about the next method, but I don´t know their viability if that is applied at the practical facts, so please give me your point of view about it.

-IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT THESE METHOD IS OLD AND MAYBE WAS TESTED IN OLD TIMES. SO I DON´T SAID ABOUT THIS IS PROPERLY AN ORIGINAL IDEA IN ANYTIME, BUT ONLY IS A METHOD WHICH I WAS THINKED ABOUT.

-PLEASE CONSIDERING ABOUT THE NEXT METHOD FIRST NEED TO BE TESTED FOR RELIABLE RESULTS, AND MAYBE MANY OF YOU HAS ALREADY TESTED THESE METHOD, AND MAYBE YOU HAS OBTAINED MIXED RESULTS OF THESE.

-THAT IS THE NEXT :

-QUESTIONS : regularly, whos hatch an ooth ever wait for a big lot of nymphs from each ooth at once, so ever let the nymphs go ahead with their cannibalism until the number of nymphs reach a manageable number for keeping each nymph within their own individual cage. So, a big number of nymphs was died only for obtaining a few number of manageable nymphs of each ooth at once time of a determinated species of mantis. And so, whos hatch need to wait for hatching another complete ooth of the same species of mantis for obtaining the same number of nymphs of these mantis species.

-HYPOTHETICAL SOLUTION : now, whos hatch an ooth may CUT THE OOTH IN TWO HALVES ((at their wide and in their medium point of their large)), one of the halves is setted in their custom incubation process for waiting nymphs, and the other half of the ooth is setted in diapause ((for example within the refrigerator)) or, if that is from a tropical species of mantis, is setted around 15 centigrades of temperature. So, these half of the ooth may be disponible when the nymphs of the first half of the ooth was selled or traded or so. And in that way, only the most little number of nymphs was died for each ooth, and maybe the double number of nymphs may be keeped alive ((on two different times of hatching from the same ooth)). Also, the breeder may save of die a big lot of nymphs which may using for their purposes ((which other way would die)), and / or the savings on the buyed ooths may be reduced at a half ((if whos hatched the ooths actually is not a mantis breeder itself)).

-CONCLUSIONS : Sure, a few nymphs will die in the point of the cut while the ooth is cutted, but a lot of the nymphs may survive stored until the hatcher need nymphs again. But so the excess of nymphs for each ooth not will die ((with the traditional method where the hatcher hope reducing their number of nymphs)) in the process of cannibalism like is traditionally used. So, the stored half of the ooth may be programmed for incubation when may be needed. Also, apply this method, whos keep the nymphs is actually worried for maintaining alive the most number of nymphs ((A POSITIVE POINT)) rather than hoping reduce the number of nymphs. And finally, so may be programmed the hatcing times for to synchronize the age of both males and females in the mantis species which the males die early while the females die late ((A POSITIVE POINT)) looking for the most convenient time for mate pairs of these difficult mantis species for breeding them.

-Please give me your points of view, sure many of you has tryed that already sometimes.

-Thank you in advance, best regards. Roberto.


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## Rob Byatt (Jan 9, 2007)

Roberto,

your way of thinking is good. however, it is impractical. If you cut an ootheca in half then it will most likely kill the majority of the developing eggs through infection.

The ootheca is a perfect incubating unit in its own right. The structure and form is such that it reduces the chance of dessication whilst providing enough oxygen to reach the developing eggs.

Nature has made it this way for a reason; interfering with that function will lead to major losses.

However, your reasoning is spot on ! All breeders need a selection of different age nymphs for successful breeding. Unfortunately for you and your theory, nature has already provided this; the 3rd and 4th ootheca laid by the female :wink: These can be cooled to delay hatching, but if the time between the 1st and 3rd ootheca is large then it is not necessary.

You have some fundamentally good ideas there Roberto, so keep them coming.

Cheers, Rob.


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## CockroachYet (Jan 9, 2007)

-Rob :

-Thanks for reply and for all the information you said which help me to gain more knowledge about mantis zootechnic.

-I am a very very newie on the mantis keeping, so many of my questions and comments are too basics.  Actually I will go for my first batch of nymphs of mantis ((really is my very very first batch of nymphs in all my life)), which are both European mantis and Chinese mantis (american type).   

-Hypothetically, may be used some type of adecuated "seal" for the exposed cuts of both halves which may reduce the risk of damage or virus of the nymphs within it ooth? (sure in theory), like for example a piece of sterilized white medical cloth using honey like a seal? (also the honey may functioning like a steril medium for avoid the grow of fungus or bacteria), again, is hypothetic.

-Other solution ((maybe very old of use)) may be keeping the half of the nymphs at the most low temperature range for their species, and the other half at the most high temperature range for their species?? :?:

-One half for low devolopment and the other half for low devolopment. All these actions for the purpose of obtaining two batches of nymphs with an extreme difference of devolopment from the same ooth. :?:

-Is true about these above solution have the cons of to have at once all the nymphs from the same ooth alive, which may take too much time for rearing it, which is almost the same of the traditional methods.

-Best regards. Roberto.


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## sterlingspider (Feb 10, 2007)

> Hypothetically, may be used some type of adecuated "seal" for the exposed cuts of both halves which may reduce the risk of damage or virus of the nymphs within it ooth? (sure in theory), like for example a piece of sterilized white medical cloth using honey like a seal? (also the honey may functioning like a steril medium for avoid the grow of fungus or bacteria), again, is hypothetic.


I can't speak to most of the rest of this, but I can speak to one thing...

Honey is hydroscopic (attracts water), that is part of its effectiveness as an antimicrobial. So it is likely that using honey as a sealant will have bad effects on anything inside the oothaca by dessicating it. There may be some other means of sealing it, but I wouldn't bet on honey.


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## CockroachYet (Feb 12, 2007)

-sterlingspider :

-Many thanks for reply. Thank you for the hint for avoid the use of honey (bee) for these type of situation, already I don`t knowed these characteristical of the honey, so is better avoid it because their behaviour along the humidity, which may damaging the nymphs laying within the ooth. The research maybe will offer in the future a few good alternatives for their use in this purpose. Best regards, Roberto.


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