# European mantis



## Rick (Mar 15, 2007)

Do these hatch in stages? I got an ooth from somebody here and ONE nymph hatched yesterday. No more have followed. Normal?


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## Christian (Mar 15, 2007)

No. They should hatch all at once.

I would suppose the following reasons for the low hatch rate:

1. Wrong incubation: the temperate zone subspecies undergo a diapause. Maybe it was wrongly induced or not induced at all.

2. Sometimes this species practice parthenogenesis, but at low hatch rates. So maybe the ooth was unfertilized.

3. Despite of the rule, maybe there are more larvae to come... :lol: 

Regards,

Christian


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## Rick (Mar 15, 2007)

> No. They should hatch all at once. I would suppose the following reasons for the low hatch rate:
> 
> 1. Wrong incubation: the temperate zone subspecies undergo a diapause. Maybe it was wrongly induced or not induced at all.
> 
> ...


Thanks Christian. No idea on it's history as I bought it from someone. I hope to at least get a few more.


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## randyardvark (Mar 16, 2007)

never had much luck with the eups,

ive had an ooth of thiers hactch like that in bits and bobs, al seemed well untill their first shed and they all dropped dead on me for no reason at all *sighs*

theese seem to be my achillies heel, i guess it musta been something to do with the diapause


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## Rick (Mar 16, 2007)

> never had much luck with the eups, ive had an ooth of thiers hactch like that in bits and bobs, al seemed well untill their first shed and they all dropped dead on me for no reason at all *sighs*
> 
> theese seem to be my achillies heel, i guess it musta been something to do with the diapause


I have not had luck with them either. Had them once before too.


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## Rick (Mar 16, 2007)

Several more have hatched out this morning. A lot of them are having trouble and getting tangled up and only coming out about halfway.


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## robo mantis (Mar 16, 2007)

can you help them???


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## Rick (Mar 16, 2007)

> can you help them???


Not really. They continue to hatch. Several look fine so far.


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## robo mantis (Mar 16, 2007)

i hope you get a good turnout


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## Rick (Mar 16, 2007)

> i hope you get a good turnout


Not looking that way. Not to mention some will always die in the first week.


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## robo mantis (Mar 16, 2007)

i've had success with that species


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## OGIGA (Mar 16, 2007)

Hmm, do you have a moist paper towel over the ooth?


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## Rick (Mar 16, 2007)

> Hmm, do you have a moist paper towel over the ooth?


I know how to take care of ooths. These always seem to have issues when I try them. I've only had the ooth a couple weeks at most so it's not anything I've done. Seems like I got several nymphs which is enough unless they die.


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## robo mantis (Mar 17, 2007)

just watch them like a hawk


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## jplelito (Mar 17, 2007)

About seven years ago I tried to rear_ M. religiosa _for an experiment I wanted to do as an undergraduate researcher.

I collected 10 ooths from the wild, and in fact, they are quite tolerant of deep cold, and low humidity, and this doesn't seem much to effect their hatch rate.

The ooths behave 'oddly', they often hatch out one big group, followed (or sometimes preceeded as is the case with yours, Rick) by a trickle of mantids here and there.

I kept records of hatchings and the longest-hatching ooth hatched nymphs over a period of 18 days.

The largest number of hatchlings from one ooth was 68 individuals, of which 49 hatched all in a day.

The fun starts once they hatch. My best survival rate was about 10% to first molt, as typical rearing goes (i.e. container with screen, _Drosophila_, misted, etc.).

Since then I tried rearing them other ways. Best method so far: get a 10 gallon aquarium with a secure lid - this is to keep the flies in, not the mantids.. they can't climb too well - and fill the bottom with nice soft orchid or sphagnum moss. Keep it wet, and throw in a lot of dried grass clippings or small twigs, but nothing more than a few inches off the substrate. Just toss the mantids in there, and keep some fruit flies (the smallest you can find) in there. It helps if you can set it up beforehand,

and it'll accumulate fungus gnats from outside or around the house, these are a slower, better prey for this species of mantid.

At any rate, you will lose a fair number, but, given plenty of rough surfaces to climb, and humid conditions, you should get a decent turnout.

Once past one or two molts you can rear them in more 'normal' circumstances. I also bet springtails from leaf litter and other such things would make great food for them for the first instar or so.

Good luck - let me know if you come up with anything better - the main reason I don't use this species for research is it's such a pain.


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## Rick (Mar 17, 2007)

Thanks jplelito. That is pretty much how things went down with the ooth. Didn't get a large hatchout though. The conditions you stated are good for them is pretty much how I do all ooths. I normally don't have any issues like this but this species always seems to challenge me. Now just to wait and see how they do.


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## robo mantis (Mar 17, 2007)

Good luck and keep us updated


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## luketheluke (May 25, 2007)

i had 2 hatch but they didnt fully make it out and dried up so i put a wet tissue in there the next day i had about 40 hatch and 2 days later they are still slowly hatching 1 by 1 i hope lots of them survive :'D


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