Are store-bought ooths worth it?

[melonberries]

I recently discovered that home improvement stores sell mantis ootheca (alongside ladybugs in the garden department, intended as pest control). Compared to what it costs for a single nymph + express shipping out of state it's a pretty reasonable cost for potentially a few dozen baby mantids. My concern though is not knowing the odds of it hatching (with proper care after purchasing), or if they're all even viable at all. Has anybody had any luck with store-bought ooths, if so would you say it's worth the gamble?

 

[hibiscusmile]

You can buy them at home depot or most large hardware stores and they should be fine for you.

 

[melonberries]

Thanks! They had a bunch of unhatched T. sinensis at my local Lowes so I might pick one up as backup if I can't find a good deal on a native species. Or wait until autumn again to go bug catching.

 

[River Dane]

I’ve only ever seen Chinese mantis ooths for sale, never any other species and of course no natives unfortunately, but it might be different where you live if you’re lucky. So far I’ve had no failures in my memory, but I stopped buying them a few years ago, so I could be mistaken. But yeah, majority of the time, success. Again, only with Chinese ooths, if you find another species for sale, it might be different.