Deroplatys lobata hatch

[Precarious]

A few on the forum told me it was unlikely this ooth would hatch. Someone forgot to tell the nymphs!

Looks like well over 100. Unfortunately I wasn't home to document the event.

Now we'll see if the even bigger ooth next to it hatches! Unless someone buys it first.

 

[Mime454]

The white remnants in the ooth, is at like the exuviae from the molts? I've always assumed so. Does anyone know what the mantids look like inside the ooth and how big they are right before they hatch? I'm always amazed that so many can fit in a tiny ooth.

I'm still wondering about the string they hang from though. Does the mother make that? Or do the nymphs?

I love the look of this species. Not so big on their personalities or intelligence though.

 

[D_Hemptress]

wow, there are so many!!

 

[Bug Trader]

Congrats on the hatch, I have wondered myself how they look and what size they are prehatch based on nymph count vs space.

 

[aNisip]

Congrats on the hatch! That ooth looks fine, I dont see why it wouldn't hatch...lucky you got a mating out of your male... (hint:anybody have one or two, PM me plz! ) Those nymphs look so adorable

All the best,

Andrew

 

[Precarious]

The white remnants in the ooth, is at like the exuviae from the molts? I've always assumed so. Does anyone know what the mantids look like inside the ooth and how big they are right before they hatch? I'm always amazed that so many can fit in a tiny ooth.

I'm still wondering about the string they hang from though. Does the mother make that? Or do the nymphs?

I love the look of this species. Not so big on their personalities or intelligence though.

Congrats on the hatch, I have wondered myself how they look and what size they are prehatch based on nymph count vs space.

The things attached to the ooth are the egg casing they hatch out of. The nymphs are in the case as they push through the ooth, then they split out the back of it just as they do during later molts. Once out they expand to about double the size they were compressed to while inside the egg case. The string is a part of the egg case which is why they remain attached after the nymph escapes them. It's quite a feat! Very similar to Houdini's escape from a straight jacket while hanging upside down.

In many species I see excess fluids stored in the head. This would create a hard pouch used to push through the ooth material, then once out of the egg case the fluid is distributed to expand the body to its new shape and size. While in the egg case the limbs are actually tubular. It's only once out and the fluid distributed they assume the shapes we are more familiar with.

You can get a pretty good look at the process in this series of photos.

Ghost Mantis Hatch (in great detail)

lucky you got a mating out of your male...

I had a single male I used to mate 2 females. Didn't experience any aggression from the females. He's still alive after 4.5 months. Was trying to get him to mate last night but he showed no interest.

 

[sally]

as always wonderful pictures.

 

[SilentDeviL]

Congratz that's a lot of babies...

 

[Paradoxica]

How communal are these guys?

 

[Precarious]

How communal are these guys?

This is my first hatch but the nymphs I raised were very calm and did well together up until about L4 when I separated them. Some keep them together until pre-sub.

 

[AxolotlsAreCoolToo]

got any breeding tips for a noob?

 

[Mime454]

got any breeding tips for a noob?

Just relax and don't make it more than it is.

More seriously, I've seen others recommend raising temperatures, separating the male from the female for a few days before the mating and fasting the male if he is too fat.

 

[Precarious]

got any breeding tips for a noob?

More seriously, I've seen others recommend raising temperatures, separating the male from the female for a few days before the mating and fasting the male if he is too fat.

I don't do anything special. No heat or anything else. But I don't rush the breeding. Wait till the female is very plump. That may take a month of feeding. Then I oversee the whole process. I don't just throw them in a cage together. I put the female on a vertical surface. Take the male on my hand right up to her rear. Some species you will see the antennae perk up and point straight when he catches her pheromones. Not the case with this species. Put the male behind her and feed her. If the male wanders keep putting him behind her. Depending on the species, sometime I even put him right on her back.

 

[agent A]

Well done man :clap:

I remember when mine hatched i thought there were infinite babies but there were only 70 or so

Hopefully ax and i can make our adults breed

 

[Mime454]

^^^ I always just put the male on the female's back too, but I haven't mated any cryptic looking species. I'm always afraid to recommend it because it sounds kinda silly. Glad that it works for this species too.

 

[Precarious]

^^^ I always just put the male on the female's back too, but I haven't mated any cryptic looking species. I'm always afraid to recommend it because it sounds kinda silly. Glad that it works for this species too.

Hasn't worked to stimulate breeding in this species. They're a little more tricky than that, but I have tried.

 

[agent A]

Does putting them in really wet leaf litter and blowing a fan over them help? Someone once said somewhere air movement helps the males

 

[ShieldMantid1997]

I just gentley blow on the males back or antennae, it makes them more alert i think.

 

[Precarious]

Does putting them in really wet leaf litter and blowing a fan over them help? Someone once said somewhere air movement helps the males

Yes! Also pushing up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right on an Xbox controller while wearing a bra on your head and sticking a fork in a toaster. Works every time!