Accident- Nymphs hatched too early

mcervig@yahoo.com · Mar 3, 2020

I was planning on transplanting my iris oratoria ooths to my backyard on my day off, so I had them in an enclosure near my back door. I figured the ooths would not hatch outside because it still drops to the 30's or 40's at night in Phoenix sometimes. Anyways, one of the ooths hatched inside, and now I've got hundreds of nymphs hanging out on my unhatched ooths. I tried transplanting the nymphs to a new enclosure, but they kept running up my arms and 2 accidentally got squished. I'm so upset! The enclosure is too big and I need to stop the other ooths from hatching! Also, they barely have any food. I am waiting on Josh's frogs for some fruit flies. I could not find any feeder bugs in my back yard except for ants. In the past, nymphs have not survived outside in March. I assume they die due to cold night and a lack of bugs in my backyard.

Does anyone have any ideas for food? I read that someone used cat food before.

How can I safely transplant them to another enclosure?

Maybe I should sell them?

Should I take a chance and let them outside?

Thank you!!!

MantisGirl13 · Mar 3, 2020

Don't let them outside, can you move the ooths instead of the nymphs? Selling them would be a good idea, once they are L2. If you offer a good price then they will be snapped up quickly, I'm sure!

They will cannibalize a bit, and decrease your numbers, so the majority should be fine until the fruit flies arrive. (I don't know anything about this species, just using my general knowledge. )

- MantisGirl13

mantisfan101 · Mar 4, 2020

Iris orataria is apparently fragile and tough to feed so unless you have some springtails or other minute food source, Id release them.

mcervig@yahoo.com · Mar 4, 2020

Yes. They are very fragile and tough to feed. I have hydea fruit flies which about 25% of them are eating! They are the same size!

It will be in the 80's here in the next couple days, but it still might get cold again.. Maybe I will release some.

I was thinking of trying to raise some until April, then release them. Or will they be to acclimated the being indoors at that point? I have never had good luck releasing them. None survived that I know.

Thank you