How to set up ooth for Pseudomantis Albofimbriata

[maybon]

I just bought one off a seller near me (Melbourne Australia), they are a native species to my area from what I have read and I was wondering what do I do with the ooth once I get it. The seller just said to leave it in the garden in a shaded spot, but I am worried a bird might eat it or ants maybe dry out etc...

I know it needs the "winter period" before it hatches but I was wondering could I just leave in it my garage or house or something and it will still work?

I am new at this I know, but I dont want to have my eggs die it would be such a shame.

 

[massaman]

well you can hatch it in your house and let the nymphs outside if your worried about predators getting at the ooth or you can be a little creative and use a deli cup or some kind of plastic container like a salad container and this is what I used for ooths that I leave outside of species thats native to my area and glue the ooths to the underside of those containers and poke holes in the containers as well or can cut the bottoms out of the deli cups and that way the nymphs can drop down without being trapped inside the deli cup or other containers and if you prefer to keep them inside then glue them to the lid of the deli cups and put paper tower or toilet paper in the cup as a substrate and spray the substrate every other day and spray the ooth once a week and keep the ooth in a area where theres room temperature or warmer inside or if your keeping them outside put containers that have it and place it in a bush area or what not and try to secure it so it wont blow away or get blown away by rainy weather!Well if its winter in your area then you have to keep it in the garage or refrigerator for a couple of months and then take it out for warmer weather if its too cold of a season!

 

[maybon]

Yeah they are native to my area though so thats why I was wondering, I also thought that maybe it would dry out if I put it in a container eg a plastic deli cup since the temp does vary a lot in Melbourne (from 5ºC in the morning to 35ºC during the day sometimes). But since it needs a over winter incubation time I thought maybe the garage would work as it is cool & protected from rain/sun/predators.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I would put it in the refridgerator and mist 3 time a week good. Then when ready to hatch, take out and put in a nice size jar with a nylon for a lid with rubber band to hold it on. Continue misting same each week until they hatch and then for the first week mist them twice a day, keeping them warm at room temp. When them molt, you can let them go outside, you will need fruit flies to feed them the first couple weeks.

(massaman) may of say the same thing, but I can't read his writing with no commas or periods.)

 

[maybon]

I would put it in the refridgerator and mist 3 time a week good. Then when ready to hatch, take out and put in a nice size jar with a nylon for a lid with rubber band to hold it on. Continue misting same each week until they hatch and then for the first week mist them twice a day, keeping them warm at room temp. When them molt, you can let them go outside, you will need fruit flies to feed them the first couple weeks.

(massaman) may of say the same thing, but I can't read his writing with no commas or periods.)

I am keeping them to hopefully breed and sell (for now at least, to cover the costs of setting everything up as supply in Australia is extremely low I should be able to sell a few ooths and get all my cash back (easily $25 per ooth).

Are you sure that the fridge is a good idea though? My garage wouldn't get over 10ºC (fridge is 4ºC for reference). Over winter I would guess it would sit at about 6ºC anyway. It just seems like they might well you know freeze in the fridge for a week.

 

[massaman]

well I kept several iris ooths in my garage over the winter and the outside temps were pretty cold and below freezing and just took the ooths out a month or 2 ago and there starting to hatch just now so as long as the garage can be kept closed and free of pests or other vemin the ooths should be ok till you want them to hatch and never really misted mine that I kept inside the garage and they did not have much light either but however you do it will be sufficient!Oh yeah most of us use farenheight over celcius usually and if the fridge is 40 degrees that would be sufficient or in the garage if its below that as long as no animals can get at them!

 

[maybon]

awesome thank you

 

[maybon]

Alright even though to me it seems like being in the fridge will kill the ootheca I have put it in there, I checked with a thermometer and it is sitting @ 45ºF. How long is sufficient to keep it in there to "over winter" the ootheca?

My other issue or well just plain old lack of knowledge with them being in the fridge is, how often should I mist it since the fridge would remove humidity from the air, won't it dry out?

 

[agent A]

just set the ooth outside in a sheltered spot

it will be fine

 

[maybon]

alright then I'll take them out of the fridge and stress less then