How to tell if ootheca already hatched?

[Bugmankeith]

I found an ootheca outside in my shrubs. It's dark brown almost black and looks dirty, I'm not sure if it's old or laid this year? All "new" ootheca I see are light brown, but if this was laid it is 4 months old and perhaps wind and rain dirtied it?

 

[dmina]

Pictures would help...

 

[CosbyArt]

You can tell if it hatched or not by looking for many small holes/openings on the front of the ooth. Also parasitic wasps will hatch often out the backside if they were in it, or if something else has reused the ooth large pieces will be missing.

Take a picture so we can see it, usually it is quite easy to tell if it is hatched.

If your curious I have over 20 ooths I found about a month ago in my backyard, and only 3 were not hatched - the rest were older previous seasons. Here is a quick photo of them I took of the hatched ones...

 

[MantidBro]

You can tell if it hatched or not by looking for many small holes/openings on the front of the ooth. Also parasitic wasps will hatch often out the backside if they were in it, or if something else has reused the ooth large pieces will be missing.

Take a picture so we can see it, usually it is quite easy to tell if it is hatched.

If your curious I have over 20 ooths I found about a month ago in my backyard, and only 3 were not hatched - the rest were older previous seasons. Here is a quick photo of them I took of the hatched ones...

This is the exact method i use as well! It works quite well

 

[CosbyArt]

Here's one more photo. A close-up of the front of the ooth where the mantis nymphs hatched from. If the ooth has holes anything like this then it has hatched; however, sometimes the holes will be more narrow and can be only viewed when holding it under a light at a angle.

 

[Bugmankeith]

Here it is.

 

[MantidBro]

Here it is.

Yeah id say it hatched man. Looks old as heck. Lol.

 

[CosbyArt]

Indeed it is all hatched out, I can see the holes they hatched from without having to click the image. It is good to add to a collection, or as a learning experience, but that's about it. Also it appears that particular ooth is a Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis).

 

[dmina]

Look what happens when you ask for a pic!... But good lesson learned... thanks guys...

 

[Bugmankeith]

Indeed it is all hatched out, I can see the holes they hatched from without having to click the image. It is good to add to a collection, or as a learning experience, but that's about it. Also it appears that particular ooth is a Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis).

Thanks!

 

[CosbyArt]

Thanks!

Your welcome. Just keep looking, you will find some good ooths. It just may take some time to find them though, as it did me.