help, nest building mantid in my orchidarium

[by accident]

i live in PA

i found nice healthy adult 2 days ago

we were about to have our first real frost so after doing some quick checking online i brought her inside and put her in my orchidarium figuring i'd give her and extra couple of months before her normal life cycle ran out

this morning i found her building a nest on one of the orchids - photos hopefully attached

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26318975@N02/6222930687/in/photostream#/photos/26318975@N02/6222930687/in/photostream/lightbox/

aside from loosing the orchid, what do i do need to do to ensure the nest survives the winter - obvious i don't want a house full of babies at any time

(yes she has been fed)

thanks in advance

Tuffy

 

[mantisboy]

Well the nest or Oothecae by design is supposed to be subject to the cold winter in PA and go through diapause. Simply remove the orchid in question, cut it 3 inches above and below the Oothecae. Then you can attach it to a stick by taping the orchid material to it. Take the stick and place it in a paper bag or box and leave it outside for the winter. This maybe just her first, so she will have several more before her life cycle ends.

 

[rs4guy]

That's no nest, that is an ooth, or mantis egg case. You can cut the ooth out of the plant, and put it in a jar/tupperware container, keeping it in your fridge until Spring. Just make sure to lay a little moist paper towel in there, to keep the ooth from drying out, and it wouldn't hurt to mist it every few weeks, maintaining that amp feeling, but not too much!

 

[Gill]

You can also remove it from the orchid after a day or two without damaging the orchid or the egg case by pulling it off and then glue it to a stick.

 

[by accident]

Thank for the all the great answers

Last question - At this size, 4-6 inches, how many crickets will she need a week? Just so I don't under feed her.

 

[gripen]

2 large a day.

 

[by accident]

Thank you!

 

[meaganelise9]

Heheh. This is kinda funny (not that I don't feel bad about your orchids). Nice of her to leave you a present. :lol:

 

[RevWillie]

You can also remove it from the orchid after a day or two without damaging the orchid or the egg case by pulling it off and then glue it to a stick.

That is what I'd do, no need to damage your Dendrobium. Worst case, let the Den. grow a little larger and remove just that leaf and leaf-base containing the egg case; the Den's new growth should be fine.