Huge size difference....

[yeatzee]

Ha, alright I guess this thread now has 2 topics

So as for my topic I originally started, Im abit confused. I know all my females are S. Limbata but what were my males. I have 5 ooth's right now and Im gonna be really pissed off if they're all infertile lol. All my males have since died, but I do remember all had the top half of their abdomen a yellow color. What does a male S. carolina/californica look like Compared to a S. Limbata male??

What are the chances that atleast 1 is fertile?

 

[MantidLord]

Ha, alright I guess this thread now has 2 topics So as for my topic I originally started, Im abit confused. I know all my females are S. Limbata but what were my males. I have 5 ooth's right now and Im gonna be really pissed off if they're all infertile lol. All my males have since died, but I do remember all had the top half of their abdomen a yellow color. What does a male S. carolina/californica look like Compared to a S. Limbata male??

What are the chances that atleast 1 is fertile?

Sorry for getting off topic. I can't help you with ID of the males. (never had this species) but I would reckon that if they had the same color wings as the female, then they would be the same species.

 

[yeatzee]

Well If thats the case then, all I can do is hope lol. I never saw their wings clearly because obviously when they fly its just a blur.

 

[Hypoponera]

Well, now that they are dead, can you check the color of the top of the abdomenal segments closest to the thorax? If those four segments have 1 brown/black band each, then you have S. californica. If the segments are lacking the bands and appear to be the same color as the rest of the abdomenal segments, then you have S. limbata. Those bands are VERY easy to see!

 

[yeatzee]

Now if only u told me this earlier...ha.

Well I let them go as they were getting ready to die, though I did get to look at a dead one I mated one of my females with a while ago and I dont remember any bands.....fingers crossed though

 

[MantidLord]

Now if only u told me this earlier...ha.Well I let them go as they were getting ready to die, though I did get to look at a dead one I mated one of my females with a while ago and I dont remember any bands.....fingers crossed though

Unfortunately it's just a waiting game I suppose. Wait for the ooths to hatch, if they do, then the females and males were the same species. If they don't, they could have been different species, or the female could have not produced fertile ooths, or the ooth could have dried up. I guess even if the ooth doesn't hatch, we won't know for sure. But if it does (which I hope it does) hatch, then you mated a pair. Good luck. Don't give up yet.

 

[yeatzee]

Whats the rule of thumb for how long before I coclude infertile?

 

[MantidLord]

Well, considering where you live, I'd say wait until the end of June next year. Usually, they hatch in May-June. I'd wait until a couple of weeks into July before tossing them. You might want to go and look for some more though. I waited a lengthy period like this last year, hoping my ooths would hatch only to find them infertile. Luckily I was able to find hatching ooths and catch nymphs outside to start my own "colony". Now I successfuly bred them. Good luck once again.

P.S. Before you lose patience and destroy them, their is a method of cutting the ooth open and seeing if it is fertile. You would lose a couple of eggs of course. I recommend searching for this method (I remember seeing a thread about it a while ago). I wouldn't do it of course until after "hatching time".

 

[Hypoponera]

If you have S. limbata, then the ooth should hatch in ROUGHLY(!!) 8 weeks if kept at 80-85F. If you keep them cooler, then it will take longer. A bit more heat might speed them up but also increases the risk of drying out. I suggest waiting no less then 12 weeks just in case.

I have not worked enough with S. californica to be very specific, but would expect about the same time period.

 

[yeatzee]

Alright cool, thanks.

And today I looked for some wild ooths and found exactly the last thing I wanted to find.......Another adult female. Ugh So many of em and yet no ooths or males.....and yesterday it was 95F + and it was around 93 today so the weather is still great for finding more males.

 

[Hypoponera]

Do you have a black light? That would help draw in the males. If you don't have one, you can pick up just the bulb at places that sell "odd" stuff, like Spencers or party supply stores. Just replace the bulb of your porch light with the black light bulb. If possible, hang a white sheet on the wall behind the light.

 

[yeatzee]

ugh man I really hope they are fertile because holy ###### ive got over 10 ooths!

 

[MantidLord]

ugh man I really hope they are fertile because holy ###### ive got over 10 ooths!

Wait, did you mate any of them? If so I would guess at that at least half will be fertile.

 

[yeatzee]

All of them have been mated by an unknown species of stagmomantis......why do they all have to look the same lol

 

[Hypoponera]

I hope you are ready! An average sized S. limbata ooth will produce about 50 nymphs. Times ten ooths would be about 500 nymphs. Loads of hungrey mouths to feed! You might want to incubate a couple of the older ooths while keeping the others at room temp. If the older ooths hatch, then give away the others before you get swamped!!

 

[yeatzee]

Yea that is what I was thinking of doing, basically just putting a couple outside and keeping acouple in my ready containers.....but that is if these dang ooths are fertile <_<

and if all works out I've already told my neighbors with their gradens and such I would give some to them......