Help! Eggs hatched and I'm in trouble!

Hi everyone, I'm new to raising praying mantises (I wasn't even planning on doing it). But last autumn, I was cleaning up the yard and found a large praying mantis, so I took her home. I bought her crickets, which she loved, and she laid four egg cases on my houseplant. She was a great pet--she always stayed on the plant, and every time I walked by, she would look up at me and "stand up" as if she was trying to climb onto my hand. She died in mid-December, much later than other mantids in my area, because I live in Maryland and winter's pretty cold.

Well, I just left the egg cases on the plant at room temperature. Just yesterday, I noticed one sac had a silky string and several little nymphs clinging to it! I was so excited and happy...and worried too, because it's the dead of the winter and there isn't a single living fly anywhere! Even if I put rotten stuff on the floor, I doubt anything but mold will come, and even if I order cultures online, it'll be days until they arrive, and maybe weeks until the flies hatch.

I currently have 5 live nymphs and 4 dead/deformed ones. My questions are:

1) Is there anything else I can feed them, other than fruit flies, aphids, etc. which I don't have? I mean, I can go to pet stores, but there are only crickets...*sigh*

2) Should I remove the egg cases from the plant and place them outside (which is freezing)? I want to delay the hatching of the other cases, but I don't know if they're already half-hatched. I'm afraid I might kill the half-hatched ones...

3) Any other tips?

Thanks for any help!

Hi and welcome to the forum, abugslife.

First off, don't put the rest of the ooths out in the cold now... it's too late to start diapause with them, and it will kill them. If you remember the sequence of time between which she laid each of them, you can predict when the next one will hatch (if she laid the second one 2 weeks after the first, then it should hatch in around 2 weeks, etc.).

You will need to put the ooths in an appropriate container to hatch if you don't want the little ones all in your house. See Care for Mantis Eggs in the Breeding and Nymph Care section for tips.

To address the nymphs that have hatched...

Mist them lightly with plain water or put a few very small drops near them on the houseplant so they can drink. I suspect since you have so few hatchlings from what might be a Chinese Mantis ootheca, it might be because it did not get misted or rained on and was too dry for them all to survive and be able to exit the ooth.

Call your local PetCo or PetSmart and make sure they don't indeed have fruit flies. PetCo often does... you just don't notice them if you're not looking for them. If they don't and you'd like to try to keep the current hatchlings alive, you can order some online. They should live for several days without any food. In any case, you'll want to have some fruit flies ready and available when the other ooths start hatching if you want to try to raise them, at least until they are able to be released in the Spring when warmer weather comes.

Please know that with so few nymphs, whether you have food for them or not, there is a high probability of deaths for the newborns of the Chinese Mantis species... so don't be too surprised if they die even with all you do to try to keep them alive. But there is also a possibility that all may survive.

Please browse the forum and read the "sticky" threads for answers to common questions. And don't hesitate to ask if you still have questions! Best of luck to you and the little ones.

Maybe you could find a local source of pinheads (newly hatched baby crickets)?

Welcome and good luck!

Fruit flies are the best for them. Just consider it a lesson learned.

I'd put the remaining oothecae in containers since it sounds like you may be missing a few hundred from the first hatch (maybe house spiders got them?). Provide some moisture since it may be that most of the eggs dried out. You can order fruit flies online but make sure you're getting a number of adults rather than just larvae.

Thanks everyone, for the help! Earlier today, a few more nymphs hatched, and I searched around my house and found a couple more. Unfortunately, a spider got some already. I tried to remove the other ooths--got one egg case placed in a separate container (right side up). The other two are stuck fast to the plant, so I’m a little hesitant to move them. I guess I’ll try again tomorrow.

Anyways, I have about a dozen live nymphs. And a couple more dead ones. I've been so busy today, so I'll go to the pet store tomorrow to see if they sell fruitflies (I never thought of checking before--I hope they have them!).

Also, one more thing, about 4-5 nymphs always seem to lie upside-down. I tried to flip them over but they can only walk a little before stumbling and ending up with their legs dangling in the air. Are they sick or something?

Again, I appreciate all the help! I wish I had found this forum/completed some research earlier…oh well, I’m going to try my best to make those adorable babies survive!

Of all the Petco stores in Phoenix, I only found one on the west side that carries the fruitflies. I called and the guy that answered said "Yes, we have them", but when I got there the helper said "we don't carry fruitflies" to which I told him I was assured they did, and he checked and found they did indeed have some, a couple in one vial, with alot of dead one's, and several vials of all dead fruitflies, but that would be a meal for the survivors.

What I'm saying is, you may have to call around, or you may think that just cause one of a chain doesn't have them that none of them probably do, and be incorrect in that assumption.

Don't assume cause on employee there thinks they don't have them, that they don't. Have him ask the manager or whoever would be certain of it.

I like reptile stores for fruitflies, since they are intimate with using them as feed. They usually also carry pinhead, real pinhead crickets, not 3 week old one's that they thought would be small enough, "I'm sorry you drove all the way over here and we didn't have what you wanted" so I rely on reptile stores, that know the difference between pinhead and 2 or 3 week old crickets that may be too large.

I wonder if the one's lying down aren't getting enough moisture, or if you had some insecticide around that they may be experiencing.

If insecticide is a possibility I'd put on a good Jimi Hendrix album, or maybe some Robin Trower or Cream, and let them work themselves out of it... B) Like that Dan Akroid impression of Jimmy Carter If they get up and start wearing beads and giving the peace sign and hugging everyone, well then, lock up your prescription drugs, and for sure don't let them borrow your car... and for God's sake, keep them away from your other animals, they'll be trying to 'turn them on' and sell them the insecticide, maaaan................................. <_<

Do not let they listen to Ozzy, or they'll be trying to bite the heads off of bats...and that can be an unhealthy situation!

Dare to keep mantis' away from insecticide

My first one's dried up, so I keep the new batch, second ootheca hatch, in a jar, where it stays humid, and mist once a day.

I also keep them in fruitflies, and have started to culture my own so I don't have to rely on other sources for them.

I would try to have at least two cultures available, in case you put one in the fridge or freezer to subdue them, and forget and kill that culture, or drop a container and loose them into the great wide open, at least you'll still have one live culture to feed them in either of these cases.

nasty bugger said:

I like reptile stores for fruitflies, since they are intimate with using them as feed.

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Not everyone is lucky enough to have a dedicated reptile store in their area. I agree that PetCo as a source for fruit flies is not the ideal, if your local store even has them. But a great many of them do, and it's very often the only local source a wide majority of people have. And when it comes down to it, it's much better than having no food in a pinch.

dont forget u can check to see if there are any posts at the pet store of anyone selling any ffs or springtail cultures, u just never know, and if nothing else, go to the local bait store and get some maggots, and just cut them up and offer to the babies some small pieces, and if u cannot remove your extra ooths, take a clear deli cup and lid, if u got some or go to chinese place and order some soup so u can use the cup and just put some small holes in it with a stick pin and enclose ooth and plant limb in the cup with lid it wont hurt the plant or u can even cup that tiny piece out for the limb to fit inside and they can just jolly well hatch where they are!

When my first ooth hatched and the young dried up and died, and the second ooth didn't hatch for a while, I went back to the same place, the whole foods store, and opened the other containers.

I found one that the ooth had already started hatching, and the young were alive and well, most of them, so I got that one also, and as you indicated Rebecca, they hatched right there in the container in the store.

Many of those didn't make it though.

I suppose they were too dried already or too hungry, but several did make it, and my second ooth hatched a couple days later and I was rolling in mantis' then, so, as rocky and bullwinkle would say, " On with the show this is it" or who ever it was that said that, maybe bugs I think.

just put some small holes in it with a stick pin and enclose ooth and plant limb in the cup with lid it wont hurt the plant

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Yeah, what Hibiscusmile said...I had to pry off my ooths from a lid top to put into a deli cup. I had won stuck to a branch inside the 10.gal tank and took the branch and pinned it to the lid. time consuming...once had to use a needle and thread and stick the needle through one of the holes tape the thread off on the top side of the lid then take the remaining thread wrap around each end of the branch in order to suspend it from in the cup via the lid..kinda like sewing the branch to the lid...or if you have a glue gun make sure you have the hatch side down and glue the branch to the lid????!!!!! You may have to get creative..

Also,,don't give up on finding nymphs from that first ooth wandering around the house or even hanging from "stuff" . When our first ooth hatched unexpectedly in my nephew's room we were finding nymphs in excess of two weeks later in the closet, hanging from the underside of this futon, desk, game console,shelving, curtain rod, tv I swear the list goes on depending on what's in the room!!!! It was really funny. he'd be sitting on the floor playing gears of war and looked down to see a nymph trying to climb him like a tree!!! You never know, they are resilient!!!

Good luck!!1

Cheers!!!

Hey everyone, thanks again for all the info! It was interesting reading everyone’s advice and stories. Some news: my praying mantis population has dwindled from a dozen to one. Well, actually two, if you count the half-dead one still struggling to live for a few more hours of the world. Poor thing.

I seriously don’t know what happened—I guess sometimes the hatchlings are just too weak to survive, as I read above. I had put them all in a clear plastic box with a removable lid. The conditions in my house: temperature’s 64 degrees F, humidity’s around 35% (though I mist the box a few times a day), no insecticides, etc. I’ve been feeding them bits and pieces of live crickets, which many of them ate. Still, they began turning upside down, unable to walk, and eventually “wasted away.” Now I’m down to one nymph.

Well, regarding the hunt for mantis food, I traveled to some pet stores (btw, no reptile stores around my area). I finally found a few old bottles of dead wingless fruit flies at Petco. They should have a shipment of flies coming in soon, or so the employees say. I’m a little wary of ordering flies online. So, I ended up buying live crickets and putting their dismembered bodies on toothpicks to present to the little babies.

I was able to remove the other ooth, which has joined the other one in a plastic bag. After using a concoction of tape, toothpicks, string, and glue, I was able to cover the one attached to the plant with a cup. Pretty fun being creative. The other ooths in the bag are carefully positioned using toothpicks and tape. So everything’s all set. I just hope they hatch later. Now seems like a difficult time for nymphs to survive…

One last thing...the remaining nymph's so cute! It was grabbing its feet and gently nibbling on them, and then it began using its little front legs to "scratch" its head. I truly wish it won't die. Anything else I can do to further increase its chances of survival?

I don't exactly know what is proper, but what I do is have a stick for them to climb on in the enclosure, and I mist it at least once a day, just one or two, maybe three mists to keep it humid.

I feed them fruitflies, which I cultured with directions off this forum, and have started putting extra in as they've grown faster, and started putting a small sliver of apple in the mantis enclosure for any ff's that the mantis hasn't eaten to have some nourishment and fluid to keep it alive till the mantis decapitate's it, and eats it B) Never had a pet that I actually tried to get it to kill and eat something else, but I do now

I'm wondering if some aquarium/fish supply may have something you can feed the wee lil' one's.

Maybe get online and good fruitflies in your town and state, or 'insectories'.

I found a place today that is an insectory. Didn't get to go into the insectory, but I did get a tour of the garden area and such. He has bugs bugs that I got from him, green lacewings, may be chow for my mantis' when they mature. I only need the larvae to eat the insects on my garden, and when they mature, well... purina mantis chow unless I can get them to breed. The guy that own's the insectory, the insectory is called arbico, just outside of tucson, is an entomologist, but I didn't have time to pick his brain since he seemed busy and I got there, after a 3 hour harley ride through nice scenery, right before closing time. I would bet he has food that mantis' would enjoy, and if there's one in your area, you may want to investigate if he can provide some food for the mantis, and maybe teach you some things about insects, and mantis' in particular.

abugslife said:

Hey everyone, thanks again for all the info! It was interesting reading everyone’s advice and stories. Some news: my praying mantis population has dwindled from a dozen to one. Well, actually two, if you count the half-dead one still struggling to live for a few more hours of the world. Poor thing. I seriously don’t know what happened—I guess sometimes the hatchlings are just too weak to survive, as I read above. I had put them all in a clear plastic box with a removable lid. The conditions in my house: temperature’s 64 degrees F, humidity’s around 35% (though I mist the box a few times a day), no insecticides, etc. I’ve been feeding them bits and pieces of live crickets, which many of them ate. Still, they began turning upside down, unable to walk, and eventually “wasted away.” Now I’m down to one nymph.

Well, regarding the hunt for mantis food, I traveled to some pet stores (btw, no reptile stores around my area). I finally found a few old bottles of dead wingless fruit flies at Petco. They should have a shipment of flies coming in soon, or so the employees say. I’m a little wary of ordering flies online. So, I ended up buying live crickets and putting their dismembered bodies on toothpicks to present to the little babies.

I was able to remove the other ooth, which has joined the other one in a plastic bag. After using a concoction of tape, toothpicks, string, and glue, I was able to cover the one attached to the plant with a cup. Pretty fun being creative. The other ooths in the bag are carefully positioned using toothpicks and tape. So everything’s all set. I just hope they hatch later. Now seems like a difficult time for nymphs to survive…

One last thing...the remaining nymph's so cute! It was grabbing its feet and gently nibbling on them, and then it began using its little front legs to "scratch" its head. I truly wish it won't die. Anything else I can do to further increase its chances of survival?

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I think 64 f. is too cool to keep mantids at for extended periods. Maybe you could try putting his cage under a desk lamp or on top of a heating pad if you have one. As for the fruit flies, I've always had pretty good luck ordering online. The cultures are much better than what you can usually buy at PetCo (I've only used that option when in a pinch... but better than nothing at all). I hope your little guy survives. But odds are against him at this point, so don't be too heartbroken if you can't save him. I'd concentrate on being ready for the hatchlings in the ooths... having your enclosures for them ready, having fruit flies for them to eat when they hatch, etc. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

I've found water bed heaters at yard sales for next to nothing, a couple bucks, and they should keep a more controlled, stable temperature than a heating pad, or so I'd think.

There are devices, pretty much just a thermostat built into an extension cord, that will turn the electricity on to a heating element when the desired temperature is reached, if you have a heating pad already.

My kitchen is 77degrees at 3 am right now cause I keep the grow lights on at night to keep the house warm. My ff cultures and crickets I keep up near the ceiling for better warmth and faster reproduction.

I would imagine if someone had a heated aquarium that the lid could be fabricated, or refabbed, to put a container or two part way through it so the bottom of the mantis container would be heated from the water temp, or ambient temperature inside the aquarium, but the mantis enclosure could float, and tip over, if it was actually put into the water very far.