Fertilization

[ShieldMantid1997]

How exactly does the fertilization of the eggs occur. Does she fertilize the eggs, then insert them into the ooth, or does she just put the sperm and eggs together in the ooth and it happens from there? (i explained the in ooth thing terribly, i don't mean like floating in there haha

The reason i decided to ask now was because my female Cryptic was due for an ooth by now, so i was a little worried (wasn't mated at the time).

I had the male and female out at the same time (not intentionally breeding) and the male mounted. They connected at around 7:30 am today.

She then started laying an ooth 20 minutes ago! (in a very annoying place i may add :surrender: )

So i guess my second question is was she perhaps waiting as long as she could? I know my hierodula did this because she was "egg bound" for 2 months then after mating she laid a few days later.

So is this ooth fertile? Does the sperm sack of the male need to be in her for a while to fertilize them before she lays them, or was the 8 hours between mating to ooth laying long enough?

Thanks

 

[happy1892]

When my green female Chinese Mantis died (she was mated) she had some eggs inside of her. I found out after she started rotting. The eggs were still yellow and did not look rotton but the rest of her was rotting. If the eggs were not alive I would think they would rott but they did not (they died, dried out ). Maybe they were infertile.

 

[ShieldMantid1997]

interesting...

 

[hibiscusmile]

questions we can't answer! good thoughts though.

 

[agent A]

the female stores the sperm in a spermatheca and as she lays eggs, they pass the spermatheca and are fertilized

 

[Rick]

When my green female Chinese Mantis died (she was mated) she had some eggs inside of her. I found out after she started rotting. The eggs were still yellow and did not look rotton but the rest of her was rotting. If the eggs were not alive I would think they would rott but they did not (they died, dried out ). Maybe they were infertile.

Pretty much all adult females have eggs within them at any given time. As Alex stated the eggs are fertilized as they are being laid so those eggs in your mantis were not fertilized at that time, but that would have nothing to do with their decomposition.

the female stores the sperm in a spermatheca and as she lays eggs, they pass the spermatheca and are fertilized

 

[ShieldMantid1997]

Alright thanks guys, so basically it's fertile?

 

[agent A]

Alright thanks guys, so basically it's fertile?

i would venture to say yes

 

[happy1892]

Pretty much all adult females have eggs within them at any given time. As Alex stated the eggs are fertilized as they are being laid so those eggs in your mantis were not fertilized at that time, but that would have nothing to do with their decomposition.

I thought a feritile egg would not rott and grow and that a infertile egg would quickly start to rott but the rotten stuff around it would kill it I guess. But she was dead only about five days. They were clear yellow so I thought they were not rotting. I have heard about bird eggs that are infertile rott quickly and the fertile ones do not and then they grow into a chick.

 

[Rick]

I thought a feritile egg would not rott and grow and that a infertile egg would quickly start to rott but the rotten stuff around it would kill it I guess. But she was dead only about five days. They were clear yellow so I thought they were not rotting. I have heard about bird eggs that are infertile rott quickly and the fertile ones do not and then they grow into a chick.

Even infertile eggs in an ootheca will be around for awhile before they dry out and turn black. The ooth is designed to protect the eggs. A fertile egg will not continue to develop if the conditions are not right. That goes for eggs within the body or something like a bird egg. A fertile bird egg left laying around without care is going to die.

 

[ShieldMantid1997]

Ok, thanks guys!