Thing is, there are 6 more caught within days apart. They all seem fine. Hungry for the crickets are I put them in. This one here, she was the first to lay an ooth. She was doing perfectly fine as the others. Then Sat or Sun morning there she was laying on the dirt. In the corner up higher, was her 2nd ooth. But it was small as if she fell in the middle of making it. Or maybe it just took the life out of her and she dropped. First thing noted was her left are was limp. She held on to my hand very tightly with her other 'claw'. Later on, and def yesterday, neither of her 'praying arms' were in working order, but her right arm is better than the left and still moves, just not as strong. Yes, perhaps like Charlotte in Charlottes web, they just lay their last ooth and say goodbye to the world. I imagine in the wild, they might do just that, lay their last ooth and then spitter and sputter till the cold temperatures end their life. Perhaps they lay lifeless like this on the ground. We have so many praying mantis here but I've never seen a dead one in the fall. I've often wondered where they go. I usually rake out from under the barberry bush, this is one of their favorite places to live the entire summer, but I never see a dead one in the debris.Honey water is definitely a staple for sick mantids or even as a precaution measure. You could do it a little stronger if you would like. I would say I do it relatively strong 1 tsp to 2 tsp water or maybe a little more water...
And also she could be near end of life too. Both my "caught outside" mantids have died this week. It must be an instinctive clock that tells them when its over...?!
OK, so I can make the honey water a big stronger. Will do. I have Manuka Honey in two levels, 12 and 20+ and also Raw Unfiltered Organic. Which would you use?
Also wondering about nighttime. How imperative is it that they stay in the dark after sunset? We do have the lights on and I wonder if it's not good.
Thank you.