Hymenopus ootheca

[Aristalochia]

So I was have found myself an orchids mantis ootheca. The fellow who sent it to said "Its been stored for a couple weeks under 'certain conditions' and that I should treat it like normal and it should hatch in 70 or so days." I asked about these certain conditions but didn't get a reply. So I'm wondering now, is there a way to extend the life of non-diapausing/tropical oothecae?

This ootheca is darker than all the others I've had, so I hope it hatches!

https://s1.postimg.org/8n04p1qj4f/20171029_151605.jpg

 

[Aristalochia]

The big fat one is an old Idolomantis and the small one is a Miomantis. As you can see they are not as dark. This new ootheca looks odd to me, but I'm still pretty new to this so I can't be sure. Let me know what you think.

Thanks

 

[Connor]

It's already be incubating for 2 weeks but it will take another 70 days to hatch? Doesn't sound right to me. Tropical species like an orchid take around 40 days to hatch while being incubated. What does "treat it like normal" mean? I don't know about the coloration, but it doesn't look normal. That's not even the correct shape of a orchid ooth... 

 

[Connor]

Here is a picture of a orchid Ootheca 

 

[Aristalochia]

Well this is interesting. I wonder what he sent me...

 

[Connor]

It may be a deformed orchid mantis ooth... but the coloration makes it look dead tbh. I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't hatch at all... sorry you had to run into a bad experience like this...