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Hey Mike,

Since you are cranking out these nymphs like a machine, I wanted to get yours and other's thoughts on humidity and temperature for these newborn nymphs. I've read some websites that say that Creos should have temps of about 85 degrees and humidity of 60 to 80% and others that say lower temps are ok. I also have read that some people mist the mantis itself as well the enclosure. Now that we are starting to near the winter season, I would assume that would mean that supplemental heating would be required.

Do you mist the mantis itself or just the container? In the winter, most of our house will be 68 degrees or below, would you recommend supplemental heating to get temps closer to 80? Would this be the same for the ghosts?

Thanks!

 
garin33 said:
Hey Mike,

Since you are cranking out these nymphs like a machine, I wanted to get yours and other's thoughts on humidity and temperature for these newborn nymphs. I've read some websites that say that Creos should have temps of about 85 degrees and humidity of 60 to 80% and others that say lower temps are ok. I also have read that some people mist the mantis itself as well the enclosure. Now that we are starting to near the winter season, I would assume that would mean that supplemental heating would be required.

Do you mist the mantis itself or just the container? In the winter, most of our house will be 68 degrees or below, would you recommend supplemental heating to get temps closer to 80? Would this be the same for the ghosts?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I keep them all at ambient temp, which is probably 75. The last couple days I've began using my heatlamp for my Idolos/Blepharopsis, so I'm sure some of the heat that the lamp is emitting affects the surrounding area as well..maybe raises it up about 5 degrees?
When I mist, I hit both enclosure and my mantids, but I always make sure to open up the window that's adjacent to my mantid shelf so that everything gets ventilated. I mist every other day, except for my Parymenopus and Idolos, which get daily misting. If you mist too much, make sure you get everything ventilated properly. Another key thing I've learned to have less fatalities is to give all these little guys some space, so spread them out into smaller groups in a bunch of containers.
If your household temps are 68, then yeah, I'd definitely use a heat lamp. What part of LA do you live in? I live on the 7th floor on the SW corner of my building, so I get direct sunlight the whole day, hence warmer temps on my side. hope this helps...
 
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Hi Mike

Thanks for sharing your methods.

I live in Rancho Palos Verdes on a hill that faces Catalina Island. It's a beautiful ocean view but it can get quite cold in the winter with the wind blowing off the ocean water. Now when I say quite cold, I'm talking highs in the low 60's and lows near 50. Now I know other folks who live in other areas are thinking we are total wimps calling that weather cold. I guess they are right, haha.

 
garin33 said:
Hi Mike

Thanks for sharing your methods.

I live in Rancho Palos Verdes on a hill that faces Catalina Island. It's a beautiful ocean view but it can get quite cold in the winter with the wind blowing off the ocean water. Now when I say quite cold, I'm talking highs in the low 60's and lows near 50. Now I know other folks who live in other areas are thinking we are total wimps calling that weather cold. I guess they are right, haha.
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blah blah blah blah Rancho Palos Verdes. That's all I read LOL...PV is such a beautiful/baller area. I hope to reside there some day in the future. One of my best friends lives close by in San Pedro and the PV hills are visible from his place.

 
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Well, I forgot to mention that I live in a cardboard box in PV. So it's really not as good as you think.

However, I never have to worry about the mantids being well ventilated and opening a window.

 
drolkp84 said:
What changes do u tend to notice when ur creo is about to hatch if any?
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The ooths get darker (reddish tone) and as you mentioned in your other thread, the black dots begin to form, which are the formation of the eyes. Alex posted a pic of that somewhere. I have an ooth that should be hatching any day now, and I'm basing it on those changes alone. It's taking my ooths longer to hatch nowadays and I think it's primarily because of the recent drops in temps the last couple weeks here in LA. If you get a chance, post a pic of your ooth in here.

 
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mantid_mike said:
The ooths get darker (reddish tone) and as you mentioned in your other thread, the black dots begin to form, which are the formation of the eyes. Alex posted a pic of that somewhere. I have an ooth that should be hatching any day now, and I'm basing it on those changes alone. It's taking my ooths longer to hatch nowadays and I think it's primarily because of the recent drops in temps the last couple weeks here in LA. If you get a chance, post a pic of your ooth in here.
Click to expand...
as a matter of fact:

8127457023_c1c5b93b5f_z.jpg


8127457151_3a4e0f87df_z.jpg


will take a recent soon ;)

 
My creo laid her 8th ooth 2 days ago, but it seems to be a little deformed. I noticed that when she was laying it against the wall of her container, there was a twig that was in her way so I guess it kinda screwed up her flow. You can see that two eggs are protruding from the ooth. It will be interesting to see if it continues to develop outside of the ootheca (it's the one all the way on the left):

_MG_1474.jpg


In other news, one of my smaller ghost ooths which was about a 1/2" hatched this morning. 12 nymphs total:

_MG_1478.jpg


 
agent A said:
my creo ooth hatched over the weekend

only abt 42 nymphs

not too bad though...
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Not bad at all. You have plenty of L4s to look after anyway.I noticed another of my creo ooths hatched this morning but I didn't get a chance to count them before I left.

 

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