European ooth
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River Dane
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Did you diapause the ooth?
@Logan_123 Here is a caresheet for the European mantis (Mantis religiosa). Although the species does diapause over winter, they can hatch without it (but tend to be weaker).
From the many ooths I've hatch of similar diapause length species (Stagmomantis carolina and Tenodera sinensis primarily) here are my results. With a ooth that has had diapause for 8 weeks or longer, nymphs tend to hatch in 30-45 days. Without diapause they hatch in about 70-90 days, with a few over 100 days.
I have never noticed any color change in ooths, or heard of it either, except old ooths that have been weathered over a year outside or had a external issue. The only trick I know of in some species ooths is candling, see here, otherwise it is a waiting game. As mantis females will lay ooths if they have mated or not there is no real way to know if they will hatch (or even getting close), until they do or don't after several months, besides candling as mentioned.
From the many ooths I've hatch of similar diapause length species (Stagmomantis carolina and Tenodera sinensis primarily) here are my results. With a ooth that has had diapause for 8 weeks or longer, nymphs tend to hatch in 30-45 days. Without diapause they hatch in about 70-90 days, with a few over 100 days.
I have never noticed any color change in ooths, or heard of it either, except old ooths that have been weathered over a year outside or had a external issue. The only trick I know of in some species ooths is candling, see here, otherwise it is a waiting game. As mantis females will lay ooths if they have mated or not there is no real way to know if they will hatch (or even getting close), until they do or don't after several months, besides candling as mentioned.
I tried to keep it short, and still cover the basics for you, but it seems to be a bit of reading. So I underlined a few key sentences for your responses. 
I've tried to diapause some ooths after I started to incubate (room temps), and not a single nymph hatched. That was 6-7 weeks after being laid by the mother, and 4-5 weeks of incubation. Those were from three different mantids that laid other ooths that did hatch before/after those ooths, and was why I tried to diapause those as I had so many nymphs hatch already.
Ooths, from species that undergo diapause, can sit safely about a month after being laid by the mother to begin diapause in time. Any longer in time and the hatch rate decreases to the point nothing hatches. In nature outside they are safe due to the cooler and cold fall nights keeping it safe, before a hard cold diapause through winter. Ideally diapause for captive mantids would start within the first two weeks of being laid by the mother.
For beginners, it is easier not to diapause, or at least is one less thing for them to worry about. So it is something that is not recommended or covered by most, and the stronger nymphs is debated at times due to other nymph conditions/husbandry (See below). Personally I'll let the keeper know regardless and let them decide; however, I wasn't around for your initial post.
With all things being equal though in my past ooths (same parents, conditions, etc) I have gotten better/stronger nymphs from ooths that had diapause of at least 8 weeks. With your species the caresheet also mentions weaker nymphs if they did not have a diapause, and to be honest is something I have not read in a caresheet before.
One major advantage of diapause, and the reason it occurs to begins with however, is it allows the nymphs to wait until late spring to hatch. Depending on if you wanted to release the nymphs back into your local mantid species population, then a diapause would have to be done; otherwise, the mantids will likely be adults when they could be released outdoors. At which point their mating and ooth laying time frame would be wrong to interact with the other mantids, and for their ooths to survive (hatching in fall with their nymphs dying in winter).
A diapause will make stronger nymphs in many cases, but if that is something that a beginner will observe, or benefit from, is unlikely - there are just so many things that are a factor in ooths and hatching itself regarding nymphs.
During incubation two things of note are keeping humidity within range (the container itself, no water on the ooth as it can easily mold) and temperatures maintained (heat added if needed for proper temps). Both things apply but many species are very forgiving and is why so many species are native or taken up residence as naturalized species. Ideally incubated ooths are kept under the same conditions of the adult species (some species though require more or less humidity in the ooth and early nymph stages).
When they do begin to hatch the incubation container needs proper humidity more so (40-65 RH% in your case) as the nymphs need it to be able to free themselves. Although I had many nymphs hatch when I first started incubating ooths, several nymphs became stuck in the ooth with only part of their body free. Sadly after more experience it was apparent that it as a humidity issue as the ooths could not absorb enough humidity to be properly pliable and hospitable to the emerging nymphs.
After hatching then giving the nymphs enough room (to reduce cannibalism), appropriate and enough sized feeders (too many or too few feeders result in the same problems), humidity and temperatures, etc all become factors to their molting/surviving. So in the end will nymph deaths be a result of diapause being done or not is unlikely for a beginner. That is until experience is gained to properly handle the other factors.
With everything said, if you are interested in diapause for future ooths then see my post...
Yes, it is too late to diapause as the eggs inside have already started developing. A diapause now would likely kill the eggs inside, or at most only half would hatch later on. That is if the 5 week time frame you gave is from when the mother laid that ooth. If it has been more than 5 weeks since the ooth was laid then I doubt anything would hatch if a diapause is done now.I was told to not diapause them as they don't need it
I've tried to diapause some ooths after I started to incubate (room temps), and not a single nymph hatched. That was 6-7 weeks after being laid by the mother, and 4-5 weeks of incubation. Those were from three different mantids that laid other ooths that did hatch before/after those ooths, and was why I tried to diapause those as I had so many nymphs hatch already.
Ooths, from species that undergo diapause, can sit safely about a month after being laid by the mother to begin diapause in time. Any longer in time and the hatch rate decreases to the point nothing hatches. In nature outside they are safe due to the cooler and cold fall nights keeping it safe, before a hard cold diapause through winter. Ideally diapause for captive mantids would start within the first two weeks of being laid by the mother.
It depends on if you planned on releasing the nymphs outside, and other factors. The need to diapause or not however is a good question, and especially in regards to beginners, so here are the thoughts on it.
For beginners, it is easier not to diapause, or at least is one less thing for them to worry about. So it is something that is not recommended or covered by most, and the stronger nymphs is debated at times due to other nymph conditions/husbandry (See below). Personally I'll let the keeper know regardless and let them decide; however, I wasn't around for your initial post.
With all things being equal though in my past ooths (same parents, conditions, etc) I have gotten better/stronger nymphs from ooths that had diapause of at least 8 weeks. With your species the caresheet also mentions weaker nymphs if they did not have a diapause, and to be honest is something I have not read in a caresheet before.
One major advantage of diapause, and the reason it occurs to begins with however, is it allows the nymphs to wait until late spring to hatch. Depending on if you wanted to release the nymphs back into your local mantid species population, then a diapause would have to be done; otherwise, the mantids will likely be adults when they could be released outdoors. At which point their mating and ooth laying time frame would be wrong to interact with the other mantids, and for their ooths to survive (hatching in fall with their nymphs dying in winter).
A diapause will make stronger nymphs in many cases, but if that is something that a beginner will observe, or benefit from, is unlikely - there are just so many things that are a factor in ooths and hatching itself regarding nymphs.
During incubation two things of note are keeping humidity within range (the container itself, no water on the ooth as it can easily mold) and temperatures maintained (heat added if needed for proper temps). Both things apply but many species are very forgiving and is why so many species are native or taken up residence as naturalized species. Ideally incubated ooths are kept under the same conditions of the adult species (some species though require more or less humidity in the ooth and early nymph stages).
When they do begin to hatch the incubation container needs proper humidity more so (40-65 RH% in your case) as the nymphs need it to be able to free themselves. Although I had many nymphs hatch when I first started incubating ooths, several nymphs became stuck in the ooth with only part of their body free. Sadly after more experience it was apparent that it as a humidity issue as the ooths could not absorb enough humidity to be properly pliable and hospitable to the emerging nymphs.
After hatching then giving the nymphs enough room (to reduce cannibalism), appropriate and enough sized feeders (too many or too few feeders result in the same problems), humidity and temperatures, etc all become factors to their molting/surviving. So in the end will nymph deaths be a result of diapause being done or not is unlikely for a beginner. That is until experience is gained to properly handle the other factors.
With everything said, if you are interested in diapause for future ooths then see my post...
