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- Thread starter Synapze
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River Dane
Well-known member
I’ve never personally dealt with Carolinas, but mantids tend to just die a lot in the earlier instars. Someone else might be able to point out a specific flaw, but I don’t see anything wrong in what you did.
But good luck with your other ooths!
But good luck with your other ooths!
MantisGirl13
Well-known member
I don't see anything wrong either, but I am pretty sure that the native species to USA have high mortality rates as hatchlings. Good luck!
- MantisGirl13
- MantisGirl13
lovemymantisfriends
Well-known member
So, did any of your other ooth hatch yet? How are the ones doing that you mentioned survived over night? I just had a Chinese ooth hatch last night. I am waiting on them to dry before separating.
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lovemymantisfriends
Well-known member
So, I am kind of experimenting right now. I am separating quite a few into separate cups (i think they are 5oz). I put cut big squares out of the lids and hot glued tulle to them. I am using paper towel as a substrate.
I also have the rest of them together in a large container with a lot of surfaces to climb and hide. I have craft sticks, fake flowers, tulle, and coconut fiber substrate. It has been about 15 hours since they hatched, they are already hungry and thirsty!
I will update you with how it goes. I am interested to see how each method turns out.
View attachment mantis.pdf
I also have the rest of them together in a large container with a lot of surfaces to climb and hide. I have craft sticks, fake flowers, tulle, and coconut fiber substrate. It has been about 15 hours since they hatched, they are already hungry and thirsty!
I will update you with how it goes. I am interested to see how each method turns out.
View attachment mantis.pdf
MantisGirl13
Well-known member
@lovemymantisfriends It sounds like an interesting experiment! Please keep us posted on how it is working. 
- MantisGirl13
- MantisGirl13
Mantis Lady
Well-known member
@lovemymantisfriendsYeah. Keep us updated. We can learn of your experiment.
@Synapze:Sorry to hear only 2 of them is still alive. Hope they will make it.
@Synapze:Sorry to hear only 2 of them is still alive. Hope they will make it.
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MantisGirl13
Well-known member
@Synapze Sounds like you have a great setup for them. Not sure why so many died. But maybe they were just weak? sometimes there are batches that just don't make it no matter what you do. Might be a genetics thing. I have had ootheca that hatch out and for some reason they all die.
I usually separate them out into small 2-5 oz cups and put 3-5 per cup.
Carolina mantises are quite small when they hatch as well, and even fruit flies can be hard for them to catch sometimes. I have had to catch tiny gnats outside to get my Carolina's to eat before as they were not eating the fruit flies. Providing them with minute prey and misting them should work for most cases. But then there are those times they just don't make it.
This year I had a nice batch of Carolina mantises that took to eating fruit flies right away.
For Chinese mantises they have a high mortality rate so if a lot of the nymphs die it is normal. I usually do the same thing and separate 3-4 into small cups.
Good luck with you ootheca and mantises!
I usually separate them out into small 2-5 oz cups and put 3-5 per cup.
Carolina mantises are quite small when they hatch as well, and even fruit flies can be hard for them to catch sometimes. I have had to catch tiny gnats outside to get my Carolina's to eat before as they were not eating the fruit flies. Providing them with minute prey and misting them should work for most cases. But then there are those times they just don't make it.
This year I had a nice batch of Carolina mantises that took to eating fruit flies right away.
For Chinese mantises they have a high mortality rate so if a lot of the nymphs die it is normal. I usually do the same thing and separate 3-4 into small cups.
Good luck with you ootheca and mantises!
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MantisGirl13
Well-known member
Good luck! I hope that the two you have left survive!
- MantisGirl13
- MantisGirl13
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Mantis Lady
Well-known member
I think they both wil die if they are released t to the garden because they are terrible hunters. You are handfeeding them?
bugboymark
Well-known member
Don't feel too bad. I had two female Carolina's last fall. Both mated with more than one male. Ended up with 8 ooths. Stored the ooths in my garage during the winter to keep them out of extreme temps. Kept them in a ventilated container and misted every couple weeks when it got dry. Made sure I had found and removed all Chinese mantis ooths from around my yard (to avoid competition). Attached the ooths to shrubs/plants in my yard. (north, south, east, and west exposures). And here I am on June 18 with no hatches at all. With all the humidity and heat over the last 4-6 weeks...I'm starting to wonder if I'll have any baby Carolina's this year. If the nymphs are small and anything like the European nymphs I struggled with, I ended up resorting to collecting and feeding them aphids and the smallest gnats I could catch. Even small fruit flies were just too intimidating!
Anyhow, don't get too down. Sounds like you're doing the right things and trying different approaches when it isn't working. Keep us posted!
Anyhow, don't get too down. Sounds like you're doing the right things and trying different approaches when it isn't working. Keep us posted!
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River Dane
Well-known member
I tried feeding a small mantis aphids for a time, but the plant put out defenses and had help from lacewings and ladybugs, and my aphid supply quickly ran out. But there are some guides about culturing aphids that may prove useful to you, just in case.
