Incubation Success...

[mantid_mike]

Yes! I had an incubation success of my own yesterday.

I know they look like ghosts, but they are a bit longer and skinnier.

Phyllothelys Werneri

Nice! Is this the texas unicorn? How many nymphs total?

I have a hymenopus ooth that's gotten darker over the last week and looks to be kinda reddish in color where the egg cells are. I hope that's a good sign.

 

[mantid_mike]

Congratz! :clap: :clap: Boy Mike, youre having a lot of success with all of your mantids! Keep it up! woot woot!

All the best,

Andrew

Thanks, Andrew! I really have to start ordering a few exo terras to keep up with all these nymphs.

 

[mantid_mike]

Here's another shot of my last creo hatch. Funny how most of them like hanging on the lid:

 

[Paradoxica]

Nice! Is this the texas unicorn? How many nymphs total?

I have a hymenopus ooth that's gotten darker over the last week and looks to be kinda reddish in color where the egg cells are. I hope that's a good sign.

It's Phyllothelys werneri, which to me looks like a cross between a ghost and a unicorn. Only 12 hatched it but I was told to hold onto the ooth cause more might come out.

 

[mantid_mike]

My creo laid her 7th ooth a couple days ago. Iphone is for size reference:

 

[aNisip]

For a second, i thought she laid it ON the iPhone...that wouldve been so cool! ....creos are really productive! Seventh ooth, nice!

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Whats a iphone? It looks cool enough...

 

[aNisip]

Whats a iphone? It looks cool enough...

Ohh Nick...

Hey mike, what temps are u incubating all those ooths at? All at one temp? (Like your setup for them also)

 

[mantid_mike]

For a second, i thought she laid it ON the iPhone...that wouldve been so cool! ....creos are really productive! Seventh ooth, nice!

hahahahh...i figured people might think that. She laid it on the the exact same spot as the last ooth was laid, so it didn't stick for long on the acrylic and just fell off a few hours after she laid it. As far as temps go for incubation, I've kept them all at room temp, so 75-80F in the day time and probably about 65-70F at night. I'm a little confused about how to incubate Blepharopsis ooths though. Since they're a desert species, do you think it's best if I use a heat lamp? I don't want to screw them up...

 

[garin33]

Congrats Mike, you are cranking them out.

When I first saw the pic I was thinking "wow, you are so generous to your mantids, they even get their own smart phone! That is one lucky Creo".

 

[mantid_mike]

Congrats Mike, you are cranking them out.

When I first saw the pic I was thinking "wow, you are so generous to your mantids, they even get their own smart phone! That is one lucky Creo".

Lol, they'd probably facetime and threat-pose with other mantids if that were the case. Btw, have any of your creo ooths hatched? If they haven't, it should be soon.

 

[aNisip]

Mike, for any mantis ooth, I never put it direct light, I don't want it to dry out and or bake...however like u said, them being a desert species...incubate at around 85-90 Fº during day and 75-80 Fº @ night...(it is what I would assume would be best for Mendica, I have no experience with them, just what I would do for that desert specie...

 

[garin33]

Lol, they'd probably facetime and threat-pose with other mantids if that were the case. Btw, have any of your creo ooths hatched? If they haven't, it should be soon.

haha, mantids and facebook, not a good combo.

The creo ooth that was laid on 9/15/12 hatched 3 nymphs on 10/28/12. I posted about it on another thread and others gave advice that sometimes more will hatch later so be patient. So far no more has hatched as of this morning. It was the first ooth and there are 2 others, so maybe the others will produce more. The first ooth was laid one day after the female was mated so maybe that affected it? I don't know. Maybe I don't have the magic touch like you. .

 

[mantid_mike]

haha, mantids and facebook, not a good combo.

The creo ooth that was laid on 9/15/12 hatched 3 nymphs on 10/28/12. I posted about it on another thread and others gave advice that sometimes more will hatch later so be patient. So far no more has hatched as of this morning. It was the first ooth and there are 2 others, so maybe the others will produce more. The first ooth was laid one day after the female was mated so maybe that affected it? I don't know. Maybe I don't have the magic touch like you. .

oh yeah, that's right. forgot that you posted that. I'm pretty sure you'll have plenty more on your 2nd ooth. Like you said, it was probably because it was laid the day after mating that you only got 3. I think my creo waited a week after mating before she laid her first. I won't feel like I have a magic touch unless I have an orchid ooth hatch lol :donatello:

 

[mantid_mike]

RIP to my adult female ghost as of this morning. First mantis of mine to bear me an ooth. Yesterday she laid her 13th or 14 ooth and I guess that took all her energy. Btw, the last batch of ooths that she has laid have not hatched, so I'm guessing she was out of sperm. I'm still going to incubate them just in case and see what happens.

Last night I had a different female ghost molt to adult, so I guess she's taking charge now. :clover:

 

[aNisip]

Sorry to hear that Mike :/ , 13/14 is a good number...nice long lived girl... ....Alpha Female steppin' up...

 

[mantid_mike]

One of the better mornings so far...I just posted yesterday that I thought that the last batch of ghost ooths were infertile, but woke up this morning to the biggest hatch thus far--41 nymphs from a medium-sized ooth!:

 

[Paradoxica]

Wow 41! My Biggest hatch was around 33, also from a much smaller ooth. It's weird how the ooth size seems to have no bearing on the hatch rate.

My second to last remaining female also laid a final ooth just a few hours before dying. I hope she went out with a big bang too!

Congrats!

 

[garin33]

Wow, very nice! You are the man. I guess that's why they call you Mantid Mike.

The numbers keep growing and your containers keep getting fancier.

I can't wait to see the next batch.

 

[mantid_mike]

Wow 41! My Biggest hatch was around 33, also from a much smaller ooth. It's weird how the ooth size seems to have no bearing on the hatch rate.

My second to last remaining female also laid a final ooth just a few hours before dying. I hope she went out with a big bang too!

hahah, went out with a bang! exactly what I was thinking this morning. Before mine died, she laid a series of small ooths measuring 1/2" to 3/4". I have 5 of those in the container, waiting to hatch (hypothetically). Looks like the male you gave me put in some real work. Good luck with that final ooth! How are your Werneri doing??

Congrats!

Wow, very nice! You are the man. I guess that's why they call you Mantid Mike.

The numbers keep growing and your containers keep getting fancier.

I can't wait to see the next batch.

Thanks. I didn't realize that, but it seems like the hatches more less subsequently have gotten bigger: 24, 32, 36, 34, 41. The next batch that i'm expecting is another Creo ooth. It should hatch in the next couple of days. After that, maybe my hymenopus ooth? :clover: :clover: :clover: