Continuing story of a Chinese Mantis

[lionsden112002]

If you recall I captured a male chinese mantid and kept him for breeding with my female chinese.

Turns out badly for the male. I released Lu onto the kitchen back door screen and then released the male behind her and within about 6 to 8 inches away. They stayed in this position for about an hour and a half swaying back and forth. The male at one point extended his lower abdomen to the side. At this point I went to get my digital camera and when I came back the male was captured and being eaten!

Dang. Well I wanted the female to have a chance to breed cause thats what bugs do so I opended the screen and was going to release her into the back yard. This was a tuff choice but bugs gotta do what bugs ought to do and I had no options for her.

She stayed on the screen door for about three days. Crawled up into the eave of the house but never left and was always easy to find by just looking out the window. Even after I started the weber grill to cook one evening, she stayed. The fire scared her and she moved futrther up into the eve of the roof but she didn't fly away.

Then one night about two in the AM I was in the kitchen and looked out after turning on the porch light and that little female had attracted a male and was doing what bugs do. When I got up that next morning I went and looked again thinking she would be long gone. The male was gone but LU was still there. I looked for wings or debris from the male but didn't find any so maybe he got away!

Well now that Lu has been visited by a male I decided to capture her again and so she is back as a family pet and we are awaiting our ooth.

I do have pictures and will post them for your entertainment but they are at home on my digital camera.

I think it is a funny story.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Well good to hear about you and Lu, I missed her, So the stranger that visited her that did not stay! Poor Lu. Don't forget to keep us updated!

 

[lionsden112002]

Well at 2 AM I didn't want to disturb the mating pair because I only assumed the male would get eaten if I tried to capture them both. He was physically superior to the little male I had tried to mate her with.

Pictures soon...

 

[lionsden112002]

 

[lionsden112002]

When I got home to feed my Chinese mantis I noticed a brand new oothaca in her critter keeper - but there is a problem. She has cast it on the lid and the wall of the cage - effectively gluing the lid in place!!!!

What do I do?! If I take the lid off the cage and distrurb a portion of the oothaca will it still be okay or should I just keep it and hope for the best?

This is a perdicament!

 

[Rick]

Just leave it in there or if you can get a razor blade in there you can ease it off.

 

[lionsden112002]

Thanks Rick. Is there a waiting period for the ootheca to "dry" or "set"? The portion oozing through the lid vents is pretty firm.

Now I want these to hatch in the spring in missouri. Should I store the egg casing in my garage fridge all winter?

Thanks for your help. I am becoming more involved in this as I go....

 

[Rick]

Thanks Rick. Is there a waiting period for the ootheca to "dry" or "set"? The portion oozing through the lid vents is pretty firm.Now I want these to hatch in the spring in missouri. Should I store the egg casing in my garage fridge all winter?

Thanks for your help. I am becoming more involved in this as I go....

Let it dry a couple days first. I would just leave it outside. Attach it to a bush or something. Fridges tend to dry them out.

 

[Precious]

That was a great story. Thanks.

 

[OGIGA]

Great story! You're going to have so much fun when it hatches.

 

[AFK]

i think ellroy may have just found his giant killer mantis too

 

[critterguy]

One thing commonly reccomended is it to put it in a window behind the screen. That way, it is exposed to the outdoors but protected from some predators/parasites. When the baby mantids hatch just pop the screen open and let them free.

 

[lionsden112002]

Very cool hobby

 

[lionsden112002]

My mantid has oothecad herself into the critter keeper. I think I can razor this off the plastic - hope they hatch!

Cheers to all on this site and thanks for fascinating exchange of ideas.

 

[the mantinator]

i thought chinese didn't need an incubation period?

 

[sk8erkho]

Wow!! Really cool story!! She is even larger than the Chinese mantid I caught a few weeks ago on my neighbor's window screen!! I tried to keep her but she would not eat. I knew she was full grown and in her last stages where she should be ready to mate. So after keeping her for two weeks without her eating we decided to let her free so that she too, could do what bugs do,too!!! We (my boys and I) really hated having to let her go, but it was more important to us that she be able to leave behind her own little ones, than for us to have her as our new addition to the fam! It really would have been cool to have been able to rear those new babies, though!!

Oh yeah, and sa far as the ooths being connected to the top of tha tank lid. Our first captive Chinese female laid SIX ooths all attached to the lid like yours and everything turned out fine. Except that we had to put a stock over the lid itself because when the first ooth hatched the little hatchlings were all over the place. Lesson well learned! We were finding hatchlings in different parts of the apartment for up to two weeks!!! :blink:

 

[lionsden112002]

GIANT MANTIS Attacks the Castle!!

I cleaned Lu's cage and the oothaca can off the wall of the plastic critter keeper immediatley. I gently pushed the ooth off of the grilled lid and was able to get it completely undistrubed off of the cage.

I am thinking of putting it in my kitchen window that faces north until spring. It won't hatch until next spring right? If nature takes it's course dosn't it have to go through a period of cold before it will mature?

Regards

 

[lionsden112002]

Wow!! Really cool story!! She is even larger than the Chinese mantid I caught a few weeks ago on my neighbor's window screen!! I tried to keep her but she would not eat. I knew she was full grown and in her last stages where she should be ready to mate. So after keeping her for two weeks without her eating we decided to let her free so that she too, could do what bugs do,too!!! We (my boys and I) really hated having to let her go, but it was more important to us that she be able to leave behind her own little ones, than for us to have her as our new addition to the fam! It really would have been cool to have been able to rear those new babies, though!! Oh yeah, and sa far as the ooths being connected to the top of tha tank lid. Our first captive Chinese female laid SIX ooths all attached to the lid like yours and everything turned out fine. Except that we had to put a stock over the lid itself because when the first ooth hatched the little hatchlings were all over the place. Lesson well learned! We were finding hatchlings in different parts of the apartment for up to two weeks!!! :blink:

SIX ooths This is my second Chinese and I have only had one ooth the first time and I am hoping for more on this critter. We have so much fun with her. I am taking her to a school today to see a teacher interested in entymology. Hopefully we will have more ooths for next year. I am wondering if the misting is the answer. I didn't know about it the first time I kept a captured Chinese Mantis. This time I do so maybe better conditions? Glad you liked the story.

 

[Mantis_Whisper]

AWWW! She's queen of the castle.

That's an amzing story, she really must love you guys.

I'm awaiting my third ooth from my darling Yang but the only thing is she lives in a fabric mesh cages and it's nearly imposible to get the ooth off so I have to cut it away. My cages are gonna be full of holes. OwO

Good luck with your babies and your lovley Lu.