A Second EGG SAC! First one was 3 weeks ago!!!...WTF?

[Blondie78]

Hi Everybody!

Just wondering....I caught this Female Mantis in Early-October. I was going to let her go on one of the nicer days, but then the thought of WINTER coming and her Dying Got to me...so I decided to Keep her, so she would survive....bought her a brand new tank and everything (I know, I'm a Softy for most animals). I Had NO IDEA she was pregnant until One morning, there was an egg sac there with her in her tank, attached to the screen lid...and SHE (who I THOUGHT was the size she was SUPPOSED to be), was Strikingly SLIMMER than she was before...AND more physically active After laying her eggs. Previous to her laying This FIRST Sac, the guy at the pet shop I had been buying her crickets from told me a Horror story about how HE had a mantis who layed an egg sac and the baby manti were smaller than he had expected...made their way THROUGH the 1 1/2 or so mm gaps in the screen (same size screen as mine), and they got ALL OVER HIS HOUSE!!!...He had to hire an exterminator and Everything!...and even 8 to 10 months later, he was STILL Finding Adult Manti in his house in various places...Sooooo, when MY Mantis layed HER Sac...I asked the pet store if they'd take it / wanted it...they said YES...So, I carefully detached it, making sure not to damage it, and took it to the pet shop, for them to care for it. THAT was about 3 weeks ago. TODAY, she layed a SECOND Sac. THIS one is slightly smaller than the first, and she Never got any fatter / bigger in between, so my question is.... Is it Possible for a Mantis to lay TWO Egg Sacs with a GAP of time like that in between and STILL have the Second one have LIVE Baby Manti INSIDE???.....Should I WORRY about THIS ONE, or just LEAVE IT?.....Can I just get rid of it with a Clear Conscience, OR IS THERE Possibly LIFE Inside It???.....HELP!!!....Don't know WHAT to DO!!!!

 

[psyconiko]

Yes it is possible to lay an ooth within a short gap of time.Depends on the species.My Miomantis binotatas can lay 2 oothes in 2-3 days.

So nothing special.Sorry.Plus your ooth is maybe not fertilized so no need to call an exterminator.

Good luck!

 

[patrickfraser]

I don't believe he had to hire an exterminator for the mantids. He probably was infested with roaches or some other nuisance pest. Especially if he was finding adults 8-10 months later. I wouldn't share that "story" with anyone. Especially if it was true.

 

[lunarstorm]

If she's wild caught, that egg sack (also called an "ootheca" aka "ooth") could be fertile and hatch baby nymphs eventually. If you're already taking care of an adult, then you will probably really appreciate how neat the nymphs are and have fun raising them. There are lots of good threads and information on this board discussing how to properly incubate the ooth, feed the nymphs, etc. if you'd like (and there are many helpful experts around here to answer your specific questions).

If that's not an option right now, I suggest taking the ooth outside and find a sheltered spot to hide it with the zipper-side facing down.

 

[Precarious]

Chances are she was mated in the wild, but they will lay oothecae either way. Only time will tell if the ooths are fertile. If you keep them warm and humid they will hatch in 40-60 days. I'm guessing at the incubation period because I don't know exactly what species we're talking about.

In general a female will lay multiple ooths within a month of each other. The span between varies with species and conditions. A single mating is enough to fertilize multiple ooths.

The story about mantis infestation is an impossibility. Someone is quite a story teller. He was more likely thinking of spiders. I've actually had that happen to me, but I didn't have them exterminated.

 

[Rick]

Welcome?

 

[hibiscusmile]

Yes she was most prob mated outside, and they could not get thru regular window screen, so he must of had a hole in it or his HEAD! HAHA, I make funny!

welcome and keep some for yourself, u will have ooodddlllles of fun!

 

[meaganelise9]

Yeah, I don't think I'd give that guy anything to take care of if he is exterminating them..

 

[Blondie78]

So you guys think I should feel bad about getting rid of THIS second sac, or are the chances pretty good there are NO nymphs inside?...I just don't want to get rid of it if there is LIFE growing in it. If it is most likely just a clump of GOO with Nothing inside, I'll just remove it and put it in the garage, but if there may be manti forming in there, I'd feel BAD, and would probably give this Second one to the pet shop as well. I'm just Torn...I would NEVER Flush it or anything like that...I just don't know what to do.

 

[lunarstorm]

It is very possible that it will hatch! Take it to the pet shop.

 

[patrickfraser]

Just put it in a jar in the garage or outside for a little protection from the elements if you want to raise them. If you found the mantis outside, where else would it lay it's egg case (ootheca). If you don't want to raise them, just put it in a bush somewhere in the middle where it will have some protection from the elements. Let nature take over where you decided to step in and step out of the equation. It would be the BEST solution and you may just find babies next season and be glad you didn't get rid of it.

 

[Blondie78]

Yeah, maybe I will just put it in the garage, wrapped in a little blanket or towel or something. Thanks Guys!!!

 

[lunarstorm]

Do you really want 50-100+ mantis nymphs running around that towel in your garage? Give it to the pet shop or just find a sheltered place to put it outside. Think about there the mamma mantis would have laid it.

 

[meaganelise9]

I agree with Patrick. I'd either raise them myself or let it hatch outside instead of giving it to the pet store dude..

 

[lunarstorm]

Agreed, I'd just raise it or put it outside in a safe spot. I only mention the pet shop because she said this:

if there may be manti forming in there, I'd feel BAD, and would probably give this Second one to the pet shop as well.