Ghost egg case

[Mystymantis]

Check out this 3 inch egg case Midnight my female ghost mantis laid. It is huge! I don't think that it is fertile though.  But in case it is how do you incubate ghost mantis egg cases? They need maybe 50-60% humidity? Do you usually keep them with the adult or move them to a separate container? I know ghosts don't have a diapause, so if any of the eggs are fertile, which I am suspecting they aren't, how long do they take to hatch? Around 6-9 weeks?

Thanks!

 

[Ranitomeya]

That's a pretty big ootheca. If she's mated, it might be fertile. Incubation can be done by keeping it at the same conditions as the adults--maybe a little more humid if you're keeping the adults dry. Mine have hatched after about a month at room temperature.

 

[CosbyArt]

The only other question, is you need to incubate the ooth in a separate container. Mantids do not have paternal instincts of any kind, and will simply see the hatching nymphs as prey due to their tiny size alone ("communal" species or not).

If you do heat the ooth though be sure to keep humidity closely observed, as the extra heat will dry the ooth out quicker.

Best of luck.

 

[Mystymantis]

Thanks so much for the advice @CosbyArt, and @Ranitomeya. Yes, I do know that the adults will eat the babies. I will either remove the egg case or place the female into a new container. But from reading posts it seems even if Midnight had a successful mating it seems ghost egg cases are notorious for being infertile?

 

[CosbyArt]

Thanks so much for the advice @CosbyArt, and @Ranitomeya. Yes, I do know that the adults will eat the babies. I will either remove the egg case or place the female into a new container. But from reading posts it seems even if Midnight had a successful mating it seems ghost egg cases are notorious for being infertile?

It has been that way for me and a few other members at least, including ooths I got from other breeders too. It is strange to be sure if nothing else.