Gambian Spotted Eye Mantis Ooth/Nymph Care

[Charoozz520]

So I just purchased an Gambian Spotted Eyed Mantis ooth and was wondering if someone can tell me how to take care of it and the nymphs? I have several wild fruit fly cultures going that will be their food. I want to know about humidity and temp, communal species or not and also the size of the container. I purchased the ooth from Don L. and was wondering if anyone has purchase from him before and is he a reputable breeder? Thanks guys/gals, Charles

 

[hibiscusmile]

Hi Charles, they do not require anything special, keep at room temp, mist with warm water couple times a day while tiny and feed small food they can catch theirselves and they will be fine. ps never heard of him, but we go by forum names mostly.

 

[biogirl]

I've purchased from Don L. and he's very reputable guy. My ooth from him just hatched. No worries!

 

[kamakiri]

Any other comments for this species?

I just had an ooth hatch a couple of days ago. 16 total that I split into two containers. Melanogasters seem like they're almost too big for them...most go only half eaten and end up on the floor. Glad I had some on hand, as I was not expecting the hatch for another month.

And dang, they're so tiny...they only fill the picture frame at about 4x magnification!

 

[damizz]

They are a very hardy species, I have about 40 of them myself. At the very beginning they won't eat all of the melanos but that won't last long, soon you will be hard pressed to find any scraps.

 

[revmdn]

I have one very tiny nymph. It eats a ton of ff's. Its young, but I've never seen a mantid eat right before and right after molting like this little one.

 

[kamakiri]

They are a very hardy species, I have about 40 of them myself. At the very beginning they won't eat all of the melanos but that won't last long, soon you will be hard pressed to find any scraps.

That's good to know. I have another ooth incubating, so I was hoping that this is the right starter food. And I'm very glad I didn't try to chance it with Hydeis which was all I have for larger species...

Any other tips?

 

[kamakiri]

The second ooth hatched last week for a total incubation time of 6 1/2 weeks between 70 and 80 degrees F. 16 on the first day and two stragglers the next day.

The first batch are 3 weeks old, but all still L2 and 'fat'. The surprise is that they can take hydei flies already. I had more of those than melanos, so I thought I'd try a few mixed in and they seemed to prefer the bigger targets.

 

[kamakiri]

Of course, after I posted that...many molted to L3 the next day!

One of the last L2's taken on 2/8. I think this one molted to L3 yesterday.

Generally, they seem to do okay communally housed, but I did lose a couple to cannibalism on separate days when the feeder count was low in the tub.

Post-molt they seem extra jumpy and 'freak-out' when the feeder flies bump into them.

 

[kakistos]

with me they also took on big prey without a problem, but also each other. So to me after L4 they could not be housed together without losses.

 

[kamakiri]

Not sure what I did wrong...but the 2nd batch is down to 3 out of 18 hatchlings while the first is doing fine with 12 out of 16. Both batches were split into two tubs each. Predation was not a problem with the younger batch, as I could account for the dead mantises on the tub floor. I'm a little confused since the two batches have been fed and housed similarly...

 

[yen_saw]

Great pix!!

Not sure what I did wrong...but the 2nd batch is down to 3 out of 18 hatchlings while the first is doing fine with 12 out of 16. Both batches were split into two tubs each. Predation was not a problem with the younger batch, as I could account for the dead mantises on the tub floor. I'm a little confused since the two batches have been fed and housed similarly...

Try giving the younger batch a hotter and dryer condition see if that works. Good luck.

 

[kamakiri]

Great pix!!Try giving the younger batch a hotter and dryer condition see if that works. Good luck.

Thanks Yen...Now I only have two left of those so I put them in one tub. I'll try to re-arrange so they're in a slightly hotter spot. But it is very strange to me that the first batch is doing fine in similar conditions.

 

[agent A]

Mine hatch in 6 weeks and the nymphs are so cute! This is an easy species.