Frozen ootheca?

[Vivalavia]

So according to this, the majority of the U.S. is pretty frozen. Unfortunately, I have just ordered a ootheca. I contacted the seller to tell them please wait to send it, and they did not. They just told me it'll be fine if I keep it in my fridge until March if it gets frozen. Something about that doesn't seem right(I am somewhat of a newbie though). Not only that, but I don't want to delay the hatching by overwintering it in the first place. So my questions are: Will the mantids even survive the freeze? Plus do I need to keep it in my fridge if they do? Whats the lowest temperature can they survive  through so I know when tracking it if it'll be dead or not? The species is Tenodera sinensis (Chinese Mantis). Thank you for taking the time !

 

[Connor]

Your ooth is fine in the mail. Just remember... there are ooths of that species outside right now in the freezing weather! When it gets there just stick it in the fridge till spring. Just be sure to give it a spray once a week.

 

[CosbyArt]

@Vivalavia Well around here -20 F (below zero) happens in the winter at times, and those wild Chinese (Tenodera sinensis) ooths hatch out in late spring - so yours should be fine.

 

[Vivalavia]

What if I want to have it hatch sooner? Can it still do it in the same time without sticking it in the fridge and just hatch like I have before?

 

[River Dane]

What if I want to have it hatch sooner? Can it still do it in the same time without sticking it in the fridge and just hatch like I have before?

I think you could, but the Chinese Mantids have a tendency to die.

@Serle made a recent post about it. 

 

[Vivalavia]

I think you could, but the Chinese Mantids have a tendency to die.

@Serle made a recent post about it. 

I messaged the seller about the dating of the oothecas creation, but I had bought in mid-November an ootheca ( from the same seller) that hatched in 3 weeks. I am worried that maybe that may be the case with this second ooth, that it'll have the same timing for hatching.I read your response(the forum link), yet I dunno what the situation would be, if lets say, the mantids were at the same level of gestation as the prior ooth. The forum link had a reference to Cosbyarts thread where they mention that diapause  at a certain stage would kill the mantis, or severely stunt the amount that do hatch. Is there any way to minimize the risk if it was already partially formed? Could adding an extended diapause post-freeze further affect the mortality rate? Also, hypothetically, if the seller is unaware of the date it was laid, what actions would be best to take based on the info given? Put in fridge  and extend diapause, or assume hatching rate and timing is equal to that of prior purchase with three weeks till hatch and do (hopefully, should such an action exist)something to minimize further damage?

 

[CosbyArt]

@Vivalavia If the ooths have been in diapause after being laid, and still are, then diapause can be continued to a period of about 7 months without problems. Once a ooth has been in diapause for about 8 to 9 months the hatch rate decreases, and by 10 to 11 months will no longer hatch.

The only real question is if the seller has been incubating the ooth or had it in diapause prior. In your original post you said...

They just told me it'll be fine if I keep it in my fridge until March if it gets frozen

In which case the ooth has been kept in diapause, or was recently laid, so you will not have any problems keeping the ooth in diapause until you are ready to incubate later on.

 

[Serle]

Quite difficult to contain one's enthusiasm when you get an ooth from someone . I have found that climatizing the ooth for a month in a cool basement or shop ( 10 to 12 c ) then incubating them is a good start . You will know it has been dormant for a couple months at least ....  Serle